Love Checks Fear
by Karibbean
Summary: Romance between the White Queen and the Hatter throughout the film.
1. Chapter 1

**Love Checks Fear**

**Author's Note:** Well, this is my first story in quite some time. Please, please, please bear with me because I honestly have no idea what I'm getting myself into… and am rather afraid this will come down to crashing and burning. Since seeing the movie I've been so incredibly intrigued with the characters – primarily the depth of the Mad Hatter – but this is quite a task to take on, I must say. I adore reviews! Constructive criticism is most helpful! And requests or suggestions are more than welcome!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any dialogue, characters, settings, etc. from Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking Glass," nor from Disney's animated "Alice in Wonderland," nor Disney's most recent 2010 film of "Alice in Wonderland." What very little creativity that remains is – surprisingly – mine.

**Chapter 1**

"And," the Red Queen went on, "hedgehogs! That way the game is far more fun to play than ever before."

The White Queen gave a very tight, closed-lip smile from the opposite end of the long, white dining table. "I'm so happy for you, Iracebeth. Truly I am."

"Yes, well," the Red Queen spoke after a sip of white wine. "My new home still lacks _some things_."

Mirana rolled her eyes.

"What—what she means to say," stuttered the short King of Hearts from Iracebeth's right. "Is that the gardens are still in need of roses… er, red roses, of course."

The White Queen nodded sympathetically to the small man before eyeing the elongated Knave shifting uncomfortably behind where the Red Queen sat.

"Tell me, dear sister," Iracebeth began too soon as her mouth still contained food. "With all the knights present in this room, why do you keep that ridiculous hatter at your side?"

The White Queen grimaced at her sister's insensitivity – speaking about people as if they were not in the room. "The knights are here to protect _me_. My hatter," she paused as she looked momentarily up at the man's face that was so clearly focused on the red sister, "is here to protect my _hat._"

Iracebeth narrowed her eyes angrily, clearly not amused of her sister's crown being called a hat. "You know that was always to be mine."

"Daddy didn't see you fit to take on such responsibility."

"But I'm the eldest! And I'm married!"

"Now, my dear," the King of Hearts said while his wife continued to point at him in effort to make the point to her sister. "I don't think there's any reason to get so--"

"Quiet!" Iracebeth snapped at the short man. She then turned back to her sister at the other end of the table. "I don't see that you have married yet."

Mirana spared but a second to eye the Hatter once more at her side before replying simply, "Yet."

The Red Queen began to chuckle. "What are you waiting for? Love?"

The White Queen looked past her sister at the poor king. "The right moment."

Iracebeth's eyes followed from the king to her white sister and back again. "And when, exactly, will that be?"

Mirana shrugged. "Not sure of exactness, but perhaps in a month's time or so when the court gathers."

The Red Queen stood up, furious; throwing down her white napkin. "Mirana, I'm tired of these games! Hand over that crown!"

"Now, my dear," the King of Hearts began in a timid voice. "You've already got a crown. And we are guests in this castle. Let's try not to forget that…"

"Keep your mouth shut!"

"There is no crown to be handed over to you, sister," Mirana strongly answered before pausing to give the small king a sad nod in acknowledgement. "With great apologies to my dear friend the King of Hearts," she turned then on her sister with a stern matter-of-fact tone, "Iracebeth, you married in haste and this is the result of that decision."

"But how was I supposed to know the Heartlands of Crims were not part of the Underland Kingdom?"

"Well, if you had followed through with your studies… such as geography…"

"Stop it! You're not, Daddy!" Iracebeth yelled. "You know how much I wanted to rule this kingdom!"

"Same as I. But you chose your path. And there is nothing you can do to undo that."

The Red Queen stamped her foot; fuming she looked down at the King of Hearts who had his chin in his hands and eyes completely set on the opposite end of the table. "Snap out of it!"

The king jumped out of his chair in fright. "Yes, my dear? What is it, my dear?"

Iracebeth stared at her sister. "We're leaving!"

With that announcement, the double-doors flew open and an escort of white knights led the Red Queen, her knave, and the King of Hearts out of the castle.


	2. Chapter 2

**Love Checks Fear**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any dialogue, characters, settings, etc. from Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking Glass," nor from Disney's animated "Alice in Wonderland," nor Disney's most recent 2010 film of "Alice in Wonderland." What very little creativity that remains is – surprisingly – mine.

**Chapter 2**

"That didn't take very long at all," a cheerful, hum-drum voice came about as a gray tabby cat with blue stripes appeared.

"Chessur," Mirana smirked with amusement. "Should've known the king was seeing you floating about me once again." She then turned to her knights. "That'll be all gentlemen. Thank you."

"Meeeee?" the cat grinned from ear to ear.

"Yes, you!" the queen chimed happily.

As soon as the knights left the room, the orange-haired hatter took a seat at the queen's right. "Be careful, Ches," the Hatter warned with a crooked smile. "You keep teasing the Red Queen and it'll be your head some day."

The Cheshire Cat merely rolled about lazily in the air. "Mmmmm," he sounded as his body gradually became headless. "If she can catch my head." Then, as swiftly as he had appeared, the cat vanished altogether.

"What an odd one, that one," Mirana commented with a laugh.

"Gallymoggers, I'd say," the Hatter joined in laughing.

"Much like you, Tarrant?" the White Queen giggled before reaching a fair hand out to brush along the man's white cheek.

The Hatter laughed all the harder as he shook his head. "No. I'm of a much differenter sort of crazy… I'm mad."

Mirana sighed with a final laugh before dropping her hand and leaning back in her white chair. "I'm so glad you were here with me. I do wish Iracebeth would stop coming by to pester me about giving the kingdom to her."

Tarrant stopped laughing. "Especially since she ruins our tea time."

"I agree. Although," she beamed optimistically and gave a wink to the Hatter, "we still have tomorrow."

"Yes," Tarrant replied dreamily. "But how I do love our tea time!"

"Oh!" Mirana suddenly sat up with excitement shining in her eyes. "Perhaps a game of badminton?"

Tarrant turned his eyes toward one of the tall windows. "It's getting too dark outside."

"We'll play by the light of the lightning bugs!"

Tarrant gave an equally excited, toothy smile before quickly fading into a frown with brows knitted together. "But what if others of the court see us?"

"What does it matter at this point with the announcement so near? And as if no one of the court even has the slightest idea of what is going on between us!" she giggled. "I play badminton with each of them – why not you? You are part of my court, after all."

"True," the Hatter replied with a playful smirk before leaning closer to the queen and whispering, "But not for long, eh?"

Mirana gave a quick kiss to Tarrant's lips; replying just as quietly, "No, not for long at all."


	3. Chapter 3

**Love Checks Fear**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any dialogue, characters, settings, etc. from Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking Glass," nor from Disney's animated "Alice in Wonderland," nor Disney's most recent 2010 film of "Alice in Wonderland." What very little creativity that remains is – surprisingly – mine.

**Chapter 3**

In less than five minutes times, the White Queen and the Hatter were running out into the garden to where the tall net stood – a clearing surrounded by white roses, gardenias, and jasmine. With each grabbing a racquet, and the White Queen taking up the birdie, the two began to play under the bright moon, stars, and – of course – the fist-sized flying bugs that flashed light as bright and as fast as a bolt of lightning.

"This is madness!" Tarrant roared with laughter as he missed hitting the birdie back over the net.

"I know! Isn't it wonderful?"

"I might as well be playing with Chessur, for one second I see you and the next it's pitch black from my being blinded by these buggers!"

"Yes, but look at the effect it has! Watch me!" Mirana took the birdie once more and gave a perfect serve so that it flew up and over the net. However, from Tarrant's point of view the flashes of white light gave a most curious effect.

"How did you do that? Looked like you were moving in slow motion!"

"The lightning bugs! It's all because of the lightning bugs!"

The birdie soared toward him. "This is a brilliant way to play, Mir—Your Highness."

"Oh, I hate it when you do that!" the White Queen whined with a precious pout before giggling took over as she agreed, "Yes, it is quite fun!"

"We'll have to make this a tradition… to play this at least once a week!"

"Most certainly!" The birdie narrowly made it over the net.

"Mirana, are you sure the others of the court will agree to your decision?"

"Oh, why must you ruin a good game with talk of worry, Tarrant?" she cried as she stretched out her arm to return the birdie back to the Hatter.

"I can't stop thinking about it."

"Well, you _are_ mad."

"Seriously, Mirana. I still don't see them liking your decision – I am not but a hatter."

"But it is _my_ decision!" she argued as the birdie sailed through the lightning air. "It's been nearly two years since taking Daddy's place. The kingdom is more than ready to receive their missing piece. And they'll love you – everybody already does! They also have always known you to be at my side – even as merely a playmate whilst a child."

"I understand all of that, Mirana. I just worry," he hit the birdie back to her, "that making such a decision rather than accepting the hand of the King of Spades or even a white knight of your own army will cause you to lose the crown."

Mirana slapped the birdie into the net. "Would you rather have me marry either of those?"

"No."

Mirana picked up the birdie and squeezed it in her hands. "Besides, I won't lose the crown with you."

"But think through…"

"Oh, enough of this!" Mirana pleaded. "Make me laugh, Tarrant! I do not wish to argue with you! Please change the subject and make me laugh! For you know how much I dearly love to laugh!"

Suddenly a chill shot up Tarrant's spine as he heard the faint cracking and snapping of twigs from a distance. He let the birdie fall onto his side without an effort of defense as he swiftly turned about; lime-green eyes turning dark as they searched the trees that marked the border of the gardens.

"What is it?" the queen asked with great worry.

"Mirana," he began softly, his Outlandish accent growing strong. "Are you sure we're alone?"

Mirana looked all around. "Other than the guards patrolling about, we're alone."

"If I catch ano'er one o' that bluddy behg hid's frumious, no-good, guddler's scut, shykm, slurking urpal slackush scrum spies I'll--"

"Tarrant!"

The Hatter quickly snapped out of his angry downward spiral; eyes jumping from a dangerous dark green to his usual bright emerald. "Thank you," he choked in a whisper.

"No one else is here other than you, me, and the guards."

"Right," Tarrant barely managed to reply, still recovering.

"But," Mirana said thoughtfully, "maybe it _is_ best we move back into the castle."

Tarrant immediately walked around to the White Queen, racquet in one hand, the other hand reaching for hers. "Can never be too careful."


	4. Chapter 4

**Love Checks Fear**

**Author's Note: **Alrighty… so, until now my chapters have been incredibly short. I do apologize… however, I did warn you that I've really not the slightest idea what I'm doing here… honestly...lol. I just have a huge craving to write for these marvelous characters :D Nonetheless, I hope this chapter makes up for the shortness of the previous chapters. Anyhow, I do want to mention that I am soooo thankful for the reviews and am sooooo glad you all are enjoying what I've written thus far! It means the world to me!!!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any dialogue, characters, settings, etc. from Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking Glass," nor from Disney's animated "Alice in Wonderland," nor Disney's most recent 2010 film of "Alice in Wonderland." What very little creativity that remains is – surprisingly – mine.

**Chapter 4**

The next day as teatime neared, and the gossip among the courtiers intensified, Mirana found herself alone at the garden table. She had seen the Hatter earlier, but had somehow lost him in the recent few hours. It was remarkable how a beautiful, bright, clear, blue sky could quickly be interpreted as cheerless.

"What amusement can be had by oneself?" she droned on in a sad way, slouched in her chair. She looked down at the table set before her – a tray of cucumber sandwiches, a tray of vanilla teacakes, and a small tea-set placed for two; the chair at her side still empty.

"There you are!" the exuberant voice of Tarrant called out as he hurried across the lawn to her. "What on earth are you doing here?"

"It's teatime, of course!" she replied with a sudden radiant smile as she immediately sat up.

"Exactly!"

Mirana tilted her head in question.

"But today is tea with Thackery!"

"Oh, my!" she cried with realization. "I completely forgot what day of the week it is!"

Tarrant laughed as he extended a hand to her. "The carriage is waiting for us at the front."

Without a second thought Mirana put her hand in his and the two ran through the gardens – and by a gathered group of courtiers – to the carriage.

"That scene there," Tarrant breathed heavily as they relaxed in their seat, the carriage driving off down the lane, "will definitely bring about more talk."

"Oh, let them talk!" Mirana chuckled as she comfortably leaned her head upon the Hatter's shoulder. "Let them make up all the stories they wish! In a few days' time they will know the truth!"

Tarrant snickered happily. "I love how you don't worry over these things."

Mirana quietly giggled. "Yes, well… you worry too much."

Tarrant grinned. "Only over you, my darling raven." He gave a sweet kiss to her head.

Mirana curled up closer to the Hatter, her left hand clinging onto his left arm while her right hand entwined itself with his left hand, and gave a satisfied sigh. "I love that about you."

For the remainder of the carriage ride through Snud, the White Queen and the Hatter sat in contented silence. It was only while passing through the Tulgey Wood that Mirana called to her driver to go slow and be careful of the creatures at home there – primarily the Mome Raths that loved to gather to form arrows near the road to point them in the right direction.

Not long after traveling through the dark woods, the carriage strolled back out into the sunshine and came to a stop before a small gray-stone millhouse with large, white rotating panels.

"There you are!" the March Hare yelled in greeting as the Hatter assisted the White Queen down from the carriage. "You're just in time for tea!"

Mirana gracefully ducked within a split-second of getting hit by a teacup. "So good to see you, too, Thackery!" she laughed.

"And good thing we've made it in time," Tarrant cheered, escorting the queen to the line of mix-matched tables and chairs.

"Of course, you're in time!" Thackery Earwicket proclaimed. "It if wasn't for your performance at the Red Queen's Festival of Hearts all those years ago Time wouldn't have been so offended to remain the same here!"

"Ah, yes, that's right! Time has since not done a thing I've asked for!" Tarrant chortled as he remembered back to singing _Twinkle Twinkle_ to the Red Queen. "He's murdering the time!" he went on mimicking Iracebeth's voice. "Off with his head!"

Mirana, Tarrant, and Thackery all doubled-over with laughter.

"What's so funny?" a tiny, sleepy voice called out from among the collection of teacups.

Mirana looked down into a pink cup where the white Dormouse rubbed its eyes. "Mallymkun," she began sweetly. "Nothing to worry your little head about. Go on and sleep."

Mallymkun gave a nod before rolling back over onto her other side.

"Poor dear," Mirana said as she looked up at Tarrant.

"She's always sleepy," Tarrant stated simply before pulling out a chair and adding, "My queen."

"Oh, thank you." However, as Mirana took a seat the grandfather clock that stood outside leaning against the March Hare's windmill house began chiming six o'clock.

"No! No!" Thackery cried as he jumped from his chair to another three seats away. "Clean cup! Clean cup! Move down! Move down! Clean cup! Clean cup! Move down!"

Immediately standing up onto her feet again, Mirana followed Tarrant to a different chair by the March Hare. "Honestly, Thackery, am I going to have to wash these dishes for you again this week?"

"But it's always teatime!" Thackery remarked matter-of-factly.

"Yes, but you can't possibly keep moving down… you'll run out of clean cups. Oh, how I do wish you hadn't scared off the maid I sent to you."

Thackery shrugged. He then took up a teapot and poured some tea into a green cup.

"Nevermind clean cups, darling," Tarrant said, sitting between the two. "I'll take care of that."

"Oh, no you don't!" Mirana jumped in as the Hatter made an effort to stand. "Stay here and enjoy the company of your dear friend."

"No!" Thackery abruptly shouted. "Everybody have tea first!"

Mirana and Tarrant instantly planted themselves firmly in their seats.

Pleased with this, Thackery laughed and took up a saucer, dunked it in his teacup, and then began licking the tea off of it.

Mirana burst out giggling at this sight before pouring herself a cup of tea.

"Anything new since visiting with you last week?" the Hatter began conversation.

"No," Thackery sighed as he threw the saucer to the opposite end of the makeshift long-table. "Oh, wait!" he quickly perked up. "The watch still doesn't work!"

Tarrant held out his hand expectantly. The March Hare swiftly jumped down from his seat to the red chair at the corner, retrieved a large gold pocket-watch, and then bounced back to Tarrant.

"It's still two days wrong!" Thackery complained as he took to his seat again.

"I told you butter wouldn't suit the works!" Tarrant growled as he opened the watched and looked at the cogs covered in the yellow substance.

"But it was the _best_ butter," the March Hare meekly replied.

"Yes, but some crumbs must have got in as well. You shouldn't have put it in with the bread knife."

Thackery took back the watch and looked at it gloomily. He then dipped it into his cup of tea before looking at it again and sighing ever so sadly. "It was the _best_ butter, you know."

"Perhaps I can find you a new one," Mirana said, trying to cheer up the March Hare.

"Perhaps, perhaps."

"Oh, Thackery!" Tarrant began excitedly. "Have you heard the latest riddle?"

The March Hare dropped the watch altogether in his teacup and pushed it away. "No! Do share!"

Tarrant grinned. "How many cups of sugar does it take to get to the moon?"

"Sugar?" Mallymkun's voice squeaked aloud. "I got it!"

A second later small cubes of sugar were flying about; many hitting Thackery's head before falling into his new cup of tea. Tarrant and Mirana made a game of it to either catch them in a teacup or, more impressively, in their mouths; Tarrant won easily.

"I say we change the subject!" the March Hare announced strongly before turning to the Dormouse with the upmost interest. "Mallymkun, tell us a story!"

The Dormouse peeked up over the edge of her teacup. "Once upon a time there were three little sisters and their names were Elsie, Lacie, and Tillie; and they lived at the bottom of a well."

"Oh, I've heard this before!" Tarrant clapped. "What did they live on, again?"

"Hmmm," Mallymkun thought for a moment. "They lived on treacle and were very ill."

"Wait, what kind of well was it they lived in? I can't remember."

"A treacle well."

"Oh, that's right! Go on!"

"And so these three little sisters were learning to draw…"

As the Dormouse went on entertaining the March Hare and the Hatter, the White Queen silently rose from her seat and began collecting dirty dishes to take into the house to be washed.

"And not only treacle, but they were learning to draw all manner of things – everything that begins with an M."

"I love things that begin with the letter M," Tarrant commented distractedly.

Mirana heard this from the opened kitchen window and giggled to herself.

"Like March Hare?" Thackery asked.

"Like Mirana."

"No," Mallymkun corrected. "Things such as mouse traps, and the moon, and memory, and muchness – you know you say things are 'much of a muchness' – did you ever see such a thing as a drawing of muchness?"

"Once, long ago," Thackery answered thoughtfully. "It's amazing how so much muchness can exist in such a little girl."

"Yes," Tarrant agreed dreamily – reminiscing the muchness Mirana had as a child when they played together – before the March Hare's words fully sank in. "Wait! _Once_? _Long ago_? What _little girl_ are you talking about?"

"Alice, of course!"

Tarrant blinked a few times. "_The_ Alice?"

Mallymkun began laughing. "What other Alice is there?"

"What other _little girl_ is there?" Tarrant grumbled under his breath as he watched Mirana busily washing dishes.

"I remember how she had so much trouble saying what she meant!" the March Hare cackled.

"In what way?" Tarrant asked.

"She insisted that 'say what you mean' and 'mean what you say' are the same thing!"

"Did she?" Tarrant tried to remember. "But they're not the same thing a bit! Why, you might just as well say that 'I see what I eat' is the same thing as 'I eat what I see'!"

Thackery nearly fell out of his chair from laughter. "You might just as well say," he added, "that 'I like what I get' is the same thing as 'I get what I like'!"

"You might just as well say," joined in Mallymkun with a yawn, "that 'I breathe when I sleep' is the same thing as 'I sleep when I breathe'!"

"It _is_ the same thing with you!" the Hatter guffawed and everyone broke into hysterical laughter.

"Oh! But now I remember this little girl!" Tarrant went on as he visualized the little blonde-haired Alice in his mind. "Sweet girl, but rude to have come upon our teatime uninvited."

"Very true," Thackery agreed. "But it was her unbirthday, too, remember?"

"Ah, yes! What a charming, delightful girl she was in the end!" He paused. "If I remember correctly, it was all of our unbirthdays!"

"What a small world this is," came the Dourmouse sleepily.

"And come to think of it," the Hatter went on.

"Yes? Yes?" Thackery rang eagerly.

"It's my unbirthday today!"

"It is?"

"It is!"

"Wow! It's my unbirthday, too!"

"This is cause for a celebration!" Tarrant hollered. "A double unbirthday!"

"Oh!" Mirana couldn't help to shout as she ran to the open doorway looking out to the tea party. "It's my unbirthday, too!"

"What are the odds!" Thackery said wistfully.

"Well, come, come, my darling queen!" Tarrant signaled with his hand for her to join the table once again. "We need to share some unbirthday cake! After that I'll finish cleaning the dishes!"

Thackery bounced all too happily in his chair. "This is the best unbirthday ever!"

"Music! Music!" Mallymkun shouted.

"Oh, yes, indeed!" Mirana said as she flew to the gramophone sitting atop a small table alongside the grandfather clock. At once she put on a record of upbeat orchestra music. "That's much better!"

"To Thackery, Mirana, and myself!" Tarrant declared holding up a teacake and waiting for the other two to do the same.

"And me!" the Dormouse cried, holding up a handful of teacake.

"Oh, beg pardon," Tarrant tipped his hat. "To Thackery, Mallymkun, Mirana, and myself! May this be the most memorable and joyous unbirthday yet!"

"Hip-hip hooray!" Thackery cheered as the toast came to an end and everyone ate their teacake.

"Now for the celebration!" Tarrant started as he held out a hand to Mirana. "Shall we?"

"Oh, you know that I'm no good at doing the futterwacken!"

Tarrant laughed. "This music is not meant for that kind of dancing, darling."

Mirana made an effort to pay closer attention to the music, having to ignore Thackery's crazy laughter.

"It is meant for a waltz."

"Oh," Mirana blushed.

"But," Tarrant winked as he took her in his arms to follow the three-beat count of the music, "we can most certainly do that when this song comes to an end."

"How about when the record comes to an end, instead?"

"Mmmmm…" Tarrant feigned in pondering over this new deal as he spun her around. "Promise?"

"Yes," she answered solemnly when she faced him again before giving him a loving kiss.

"Oh, I like that," the Hatter laughed mischievously. "One of those with every turn and I accept your offer to only make you do the futterwacken when the record runs out of music."

"Very well," the White Queen giggled flirtatiously as she let go of him to twirl herself around. When returning to see his momentarily confused green eyes, she wrapped her hands around his neck and kissed him once more. "It's a deal."

"Wonderful! Onward with the celebration!"


	5. Chapter 5

**Love Checks Fear**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any dialogue, characters, settings, etc. from Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking Glass," nor from Disney's animated "Alice in Wonderland," nor Disney's most recent 2010 film of "Alice in Wonderland." Also, neither do I own any of Demetri Martin's jokes. What very little creativity that remains is – surprisingly – mine.

**Chapter 5**

The following day after the mad tea party was the anniversary of Mirana's crowning. It was a day, Tarrant knew, in which she could not be left alone for even a second; for not only was Mirana crowned in the afternoon of this day, but also her father had died unexpectedly the early morning of that day. He knew that the whole kingdom called and celebrated the day of her crowning as The Golden Afternoon, but he also knew that for her The Golden Afternoon was always the day after – the first true day of her reigning Underland as queen.

"Come, come, darling," the Hatter laughed as he removed a purple feathery hat from the White Queen's head and replaced it with a large turquoise bonnet. "You must choose one!"

Mirana looked unhappily up at Tarrant's reflection in the long mirror. "You know I can't wear one of your hats today."

"Oh, nonsense! You're queen! You can wear any of my hats whenever you wish!"

"But the people… this is their Golden Afternoon. I don't wish to disappoint them."

"Darling, darling queen. You can't ever disappoint the people." The Hatter paused in deep thought. "Well, at least you can't disappoint them today. Tomorrow on the other hand…"

"Oh, stop it! The people will not be disappointed by our announcement!" Mirana cried out almost in an angry way with eyes full of water. "They love you same as me!"

Tarrant dropped his hands from holding the turquoise bonnet and threw the headdress onto his desk atop various others he had attempted to place on the queen's head. He then walked around to the front of Mirana and lowered himself onto his knees so that they could be face-to-face.

"I know that this is a difficult day for you," he began gently, his hands resting on the armrests as if keeping Mirana in place. "I won't make you wear a hat. But I don't want you to forget that this is just as much your day as it is the people's day."

Mirana shook her head, tears streaming down her fair cheeks. "Today is the people's day…" She choked. "Daddy's day…" She swallowed a sob and blinked away on-coming tears. "_Tomorrow_ is _my_ day."

Tarrant looked at the White Queen helplessly. "Very well, my darling raven."

Mirana's lips echoed a smile for only a split-second as her reply, "Thank you my writing…" failed.

The Hatter gave a faint smile in return knowing she was trying to tease him back with their private joke.

Mirana swallowed another sob and shook her head. "Now, if you don't mind, Tarrant," she tried in a stronger tone as she hastily brushed away new tears with the back of her hands. "I no longer wish to be detained here. You and I both know I'm expected at Tulgey Wood for a celebration… but I want to make sure we have enough time to stop at…" Suddenly what she wanted to say became all too difficult.

"Your father's grave," Tarrant whispered. "I know, darling. And we shall do so."

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Upon arriving at the Marble Marmoreal Cemetery, the Hatter and his queen saw another carriage parked at the gates – a red carriage.

"No," Mirana said in a small voice as her eyes turned black with anger.

"Now don't let her get to you," Tarrant remarked as he helped her down from the carriage.

The moment she had both feet on the ground she let go of Tarrant's hand and briskly marched down the main trail of the cemetery to the center where the marble tombstone of her father stood, and to where her elder sister stood with the Knave of Hearts; a bundle of red roses at the base of the monument.

"Finally paying your respects to Daddy?" Mirana questioned in an icy manner.

The Red Queen merely looked over her shoulder. "Hello, sister." Then seeing the Hatter, having caught up, take a stand behind Miranda added, "What terrible company to bring before Daddy."

Mirana looked to the Knave and then back again at her sister. "I could say the same about you. Where is the King of Hearts?"

Iracebeth's face turned bright red as she scowled. "That is none of your concern!"

The White Queen drew up a deep breath before stating flatly, "It appears you have been here long enough, Iracebeth. It is now my turn to visit with Daddy alone."

The Red Queen shrugged carelessly and began stepping away. "Whatever you wish, baby sister. Take your time."

Tarrant and Mirana watched on curiously as Iracebeth and the Knave walked away down the path toward the front gates.

"How peculiar," Mirana breathed.

"To say the least," Tarrant commented. "They're up to something."

"Well, never mind them," Mirana snorted before extending her hands to the Hatter. "My flowers, please?"

"Ah, yes!" Tarrant chuckled. He then removed his top hat and took down from his head a bouquet of white roses, gardenias, and lilies. "There you are, darling queen."

Mirana brought the flowers to her nose and took a deep breath of their lovely fragrance. Tarrant watched on, seeing that this seemed to help her calm down. She then turned away to the grave-marker of her father. "Oh, Daddy, how I miss you so much…"

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

The white carriage rolled on through Tulgey Wood. Mirana had remained rather stationary throughout the ride – her back leaning against Tarrant's side as she was curled up, feet and all, on the seat; she held on tight to Tarrant's left arm much like a teddy bear as she used his left shoulder as a pillow.

Not having said a word since leaving her father's grave, Tarrant had been absent-mindedly twirling and combing through Mirana's long, white hair with his free hand as it practically covered all of his left side.

"We're getting close now, aren't we?" the White Queen spoke up softly.

"Yes, darling."

"Please," she whispered, tearing up. "Please, Tarrant. Tell me a riddle."

Tarrant shifted uncomfortably, trying desperately to think of something to amuse his queen. That was all she was requesting for – something to make her laugh.

"Well," he began quietly, "when is it bad luck to meet a white cat?"

"Don't know," Mirana breathed.

"When you're a mouse."

Not single chuckle came from the White Queen.

"What has a mouth," Tarrant tried again, "but can't chew?"

"No idea."

"A river."

Silence.

"If two's a company and three's a crowd, what are four and five?"

"What?"

"Nine."

"Oh."

"Hmmm. Isn't it interesting how 'cologne' rhymes with 'alone'?"

"What?" came a slightly more amused voice from the queen.

"And perhaps another term for a balloon should be 'bad breath holder'."

Small snickering shook the Hatter's left shoulder.

"And I think the best thing of everything ever of all time is exaggeration. Definitely."

"Exaggeration?"

"Oh, wait," Tarrant cut in. "I like second-guessing better."

"Tarrant," she began to lightly giggle.

"How fast does a zebra have to run before it looks gray?"

Snickering finally began to burst from Mirana's lips.

"The beginning of eternity, the end of time and space, the beginning of every end, and the end of every place."

"What on earth?" she asked with a laugh as she leaned her head far back in order to look into the Hatter's face.

He simply looked down at the queen with a beaming grin. "Why, the letter _E_, of course."

Mirana laughed out loud and Tarrant exhaled with relief.

"Oh, thank you, Tarrant," the White Queen continued to giggle as she snuggled up against his chest, her head just under his chin. "I very much needed that."

The Hatter wrapped his arms tightly around his queen. "I know, darling."

"I can't very well step out of this carriage without a smile today."

Tarrant didn't agree with this but replied nonetheless, "I know."

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

In no time at all, the carriage entered into the center clearing of the woods to Yeglut Village.

Once more, the Hatter helped the White Queen down onto the ground. Along side the path that led to the center of the village were the courtiers, knights, and villagers. Knowing his duty, Tarrant immediately fell in step behind Mirana – no longer holding her hand or anything else of the sort.

"Welcome, Your Majesty!" many of the villagers called out to her.

"Thank you, thank you!" Mirana chimed back with a genuine smile upon her face. "Thank you to all those of Yeglut for hosting this year's anniversary celebration!"

As excited cheering broke out through the crowd, a white rabbit jumped in front of her.

"McTwisp!" Mirana cried out to her majordomo. "Where on earth have you been? I haven't seen you in days!"

"Sorry, I'm so terribly late, Your Highness," the poor white rabbit shook nervously. "I've been incredibly busy trying to take care of all the final arrangements for today."

Mirana's smile widened. "I'm sure it's perfect, McTwisp. You always manage the best for me… and I do appreciate it so very much."

The white rabbit gave a small bow. He then gestured for something to come his way.

"McTwisp, what are you--"

Before she could finish questioning, the most famous of her white knights – Sir Haddock – appeared with a white horse at his side.

"For you, my queen," he bowed with an extended hand.

Mirana hesitated as she looked momentarily back at the Hatter. But when he made no sign of interest, she took the Knight's hand. He led her to the side of the horse where he then helped her up into the saddle.

"Thank you, Sir Haddock."

The Knight gave another bow. "Very welcome, my queen. Be sure to watch my match against our visitor… the Black Knight."

Mirana laughed. "Of course I'll be sure to see your fight. You have the Vorpal?"

The Knight pat the sword at his side.

"Then you shall be a victorious champion."

"For you, my queen." And with that he bowed one last time before stepping back into the crowd.

Mirana forced the white horse forward onto the main path.

"This is much more appropriate," commented McTwisp. "The queen should always be up high."

Mirana said nothing to this as she looked down at her left side to where Tarrant stood. It was clear he was hurting for his face had clouded up. "Tomorrow," she whispered down to him with a hopeful smile to lift his spirits.

A bright grin came about the Hatter's lips, a solemn gesture of the hand placed over a vest pocket. "Tomorrow… _my_ queen."


	6. Chapter 6

**Love Checks Fear**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any dialogue, characters, settings, etc. from Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking Glass," nor from Disney's animated "Alice in Wonderland," nor Disney's most recent 2010 film of "Alice in Wonderland." What very little creativity that remains is – surprisingly – mine.

**Chapter 6**

By the time the white horse had come to a stop at the center of the village – small brick houses circling all about – the villagers, courtiers, and knights were in full swing celebrating the anniversary of the White Queen being crowned two years earlier. However, all that mattered to Mirana at that moment was the Hatter. To her relief he was thoroughly enjoying himself, clapping along with the beat of the musicians' joyful music and laughing at the talented jugglers throwing up knives, torches, and colorful kerchiefs. Mirana couldn't help in laughing, too, in spite of herself.

"Wonderful celebration, isn't it, Your Highness?" Tarrant called to her in a sing-song voice, lime-green eyes focused on the jugglers.

"Quite wonderful," the White Queen agreed, so glad not a trace of the cloudiness that had covered his face before could be seen.

"I do love these jugglers!" Tarrant laughed on. "I find the one with the scarves most impressive!"

Mirana giggled. "How so?"

"Well, how does one know the speed in which a kerchief will fall?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, once you toss up a sword and observe it come down you know how it falls. Same with a torch. But a scarf falls differently each time… perhaps this time it unfolds and catches more air, thus falling slowly… but the next time it comes down crumpled, which makes it a bit faster to fall… or perhaps it falls like a line of ribbon in which case would cause it to fall rapidly."

"Oh, I see. But are you more intrigued with the art of the material or the need to catch and toss the kerchiefs in time?"

"Time and I are fine here in Yeglut. I'm fascinated with the material. Perhaps I could make you a new hat that mimics the motion of a falling sca--" Tarrant stopped himself short as a familiar chill shot up his spine. Swiftly he turned around but not within enough time to warn his queen, for at that moment an enormous, black, dragon-like creature hovered above a nearby house and opened its mouth, releasing a powerful electric current to all within its reach.

"No!" Tarrant yelled before looking to his side at the white horse wild on its hind legs as the crowd around them broke out in chaos. Instantly he grabbed the rope tied to the bridle and pulled the horse back onto all fours. Then, seeing Mirana barely balancing on the rump of the horse, he jumped up into the saddle and grabbed the nearest of her hands to wrap around his body, pulling her close.

"Get her out of here!" Sir Haddock unnecessarily shouted at the Hatter as he ran past them toward the monstrous Jabberwocky, the Vorpal sword in hand. "I've got this!"

Tarrant didn't spare another moment. The white horse shot out of Tulgey Wood straight toward Marmoreal.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"Are you all right?" Tarrant breathed heavily the moment he had finished hurrying the queen into the depths of the castle.

"Yes, yes, I'm fine," Mirana said, shaking uncontrollably. "But all those in Yeglut… we need to go back!"

"No, not now! Half your army is there to fight! Besides, it would be the perfect opportunity for her to take your--!" Tarrant choked on a gasp of realization.

"Her?" Mirana asked, not noticing the gasp.

Tarrant blinked in shock. "You didn't see the army among the trees?"

"No."

Tarrant took a deep breath before grabbing her hand and rushing her up the stairs to the best balcony in which to view the wood. "That attack was brought on by your sister."

A hand came to Mirana's collarbone as her anxious breathing began to grow shallower, eyes set on the fire and smoke coming from the center of Tulgey Wood. "My sister?"

"Her red army… her numbered army… ran into the clearing the moment the Jabberwocky attacked... and…" He couldn't get himself to say it.

"And, what?"

"You've lost your crown!"

Mirana reached up to her head. "It must have fallen off when the horse spooked." She paused for a breath, watching all manner of winged creatures flying from the wood. "We must go back!"

"No! As I said, that'll be the perfect opportunity for her to take the crown!"

Mirana shook her head vigorously before pointing strongly at the destruction taking place. "Tarrant! She's taking the crown right now!"

"By _crown_ I didn't mean literally the crown--"

"Neither do I! I mean my kingdom!"

"Well, I meant _you_!"

"Oh, Tarrant, I'm of little importance here!" Mirana yelled with tears soaking her face. "Those poor souls out there!"

"But you're important to me!" he yelled back, his Outlandish accent becoming thick as emotion began to take over.

"I am only a queen!"

"But you're _my_ queen!"

Mirana shook her head again. "I cannot stand aside and watch!" She then pushed past Tarrant in direction of the stairs.

"Wait! Wait! Just wait!" the Hatter pleaded desperately. "Speak with Absolum first!"

Mirana stopped in her tracks and pivoted to face Tarrant. "Where is he?"

"I'll fetch him for you."

"Tarrant…" Mirana began to growl despite her tears, but it was too late, the Hatter ran off; out of Marmoreal castle and back to the Tulgey Wood.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"Absolum?" Tarrant whispered as he walked speedily from tree to tree through the wood. "Absolum, I need you."

"And lock it up somewhere safe!" Tarrant suddenly dropped to the ground upon hearing Iracebeth's voice. "Like with the Bandersnatch!"

"But, my lady…"

"No! Stop complaining about that eye! Just put a patch over it and you'll be fine! It was just a mouse after all!"

Tarrant slowly slid up alongside a tree and peeked around its trunk. A large group of animals were in shackles, set in a line with the army at their backs, standing before the queen.

"You there! Frog!" the Red Queen practically screamed. "Where do your loyalties lie?"

"Umm, loyalties?" the poor frog shook. "I'm afraid I don't understand what you mean."

"Stayne!"

The stretched-out Knave of Hearts appeared at the queen's side, a bloody rag being held up by his hand covering his left eye. "Whom do you prefer," he spat at the frog, "the White Queen or the Red Queen?"

"The White Queen," the frog answered automatically. "I mean… wait… I mean the Red Queen… I didn't understand the question… I…"

"Off with his head!" Iracebeth shrieked. Two numbered guards quickly took the frog away.

"Now, what about you?"

The next frog in line, shaking just as much if not worse than the first, gulped. "You. My loyalties lie with you, my queen."

"Ah!" Iracebeth jumped with great cheer. "That's a good lad!"

Tarrant hid back behind the tree and shook his. He then hurried off again, as quietly as he could, calling for Absolum.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"Tarrant!" Mirana cried upon seeing him enter the balcony with the blue caterpillar in his hand. "What took you so long?"

The Hatter gave a questioning glance before noticing McTwisp, Earwicket, Mallymkun, Dodo, Tweedledee, and Tweedledum.

"Absolum," Mirana ran up to the caterpillar. "What should be done? That monster has killed half my army. My friends here say that Iracebeth is taking everyone she can by force… enslaving them… and--"

Absolum enhaled a bit from his hookah and breathed out the smoke calmly. "Where is the Oraculum?"

"The what?"

The caterpillar smoked again before yelling, "Oraculum!"

Mirana looked about at the others, who shrugged, then looked back down at the blue centipede. "I've never heard of any such thing."

"Where is the Cheshire Cat?" Absolum asked dully.

Within a second, the gray and blue tabby cat appeared. "You called, O wise one?"

"The Oraculum!"

The cat disappeared only to poof into existence again over Mirana's shoulder with a scroll.

The White Queen hastily unraveled the parchment.

"What is today?" Absolum asked after another puff of smoke.

Mirana rapidly scanned the document until she found a drawing of what had just taken place. She then read the title given for that day. "It says today is Horunvendush Day." She looked up at the caterpillar. "What on earth does that mean?"

"Don't know," the little creature breathed out rings of smoke. "What does it say?"

Mirana searched the drawing for an explanation. "The day the Red Queen takes control of Underland." With wide, terrified eyes she looked up at Tarrant.

The Hatter immediately took a stand by her side to get a better look at the Oraculum. After studying it for a good moment, his eyes darted to Chessur who was rolling about languidly in the air, studying his paw in a bored manner, about a foot away. Carefully placing Absolum on Mirana's shoulder, and gently putting his hat down on the marble floor, Tarrant launched himself at the cat as he yelled, "You knew this was going to happen!"

The cat easily vanished and the Hatter fell to the ground.

"Tragic," Absolum remarked plainly. "But there is always hope of a champion."

"Sir Haddock?"

"No."

By this time the other creatures had circled in closer to view the scroll. McTwisp looked up at the caterpillar. "Then who?"

"Alice," Absolum answered as if stating the obvious.

"_The_ Alice?" came Chessur's voice as he appeared at Mirana's side only to disappear once more as Tarrant made an effort to ring the cat's neck.

"That depends…"

"On what?" McTwisp pleaded.

"If it's the _right_ Alice."

Mirana sighed sadly. "But that girl hasn't been here for a quite some time now."

"That didn't stop her from following me a second time through the looking-glass, remember?"

"Look on, my queen," came Tarrant's voice as he pointed further down along the scroll.

Looking on to what Tarrant had noticed, all saw the drawing of Alice returning and – more importantly – being the one to slay the Jabberwocky.

Mirana swallowed on-coming tears as she gently set Absolum on the nearby railing of the balcony. She then took a few steps away from the rest of the group of friends, quickly wiping her face dry. "Very well," she began in a flat tone. "I suppose since I am now exiled here until that Frabjous Day, I shall need each and every one of you searching for Alice's return."

The creatures all gave a strong "yes" in agreement. The Hatter, however, stayed silent, eyeing the White Queen suspiciously.

"The moment she enters our lands once again, bring word to me right away. All of you must then help her to get the Vorpal sword and whatever else she may need to fulfill the Frabjous Day."

"Yes," the creatures promised.

"Nivens McTwisp," Mirana addressed the white rabbit. "You're in charge of getting Alice into our world from hers."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Mr. Dodo you are to assist him from the moment she sets foot in our world. Same for you Tweedles. Once Alice returns send her in the right direction… to Thackery's home. No matter what don't speak a word of this to anyone."

The Tweedle twins nodded in understanding.

"Mallymkun, you're in charge of sending word to Thackery and Tarrant at Iplam."

Tarrant cocked his head in surprise upon hearing this.

"Thackery Earwicket, you are to keep Alice hidden in your home until it is safe for her to be sent to me."

"Tarrant Hightopp," the queen turned to the Hatter. "You're in charge of bringing Alice to me… preferably with the Vorpal sword. Either you go with her to retrieve it or go alone, but she must return here with it."

Tarrant said nothing to this.

"Now," she looked at the group as a whole. "The trick to all of this is that you must claim your loyalties to the Red Queen--"

An echo of gasps filled the air.

"It's the only way you all will be able to help Alice. I need you all to know what the queen is up to at all times so that Alice won't be caught. And more than that, I need you to be able to retrieve the Vorpal sword… and the only way to do that is to know where the Red Queen has hidden it. Have I made myself clear?"

Small nods came from the group. "Yes, Your Highness!"

"As soon as everything clears up, I expect you all to be on your way fulfilling your duty."

The creatures all cheered and scurried away; that is, all except the Hatter.

"Begging your pardon, Your Majesty," Tarrant began with a bow, his voice thick with an Outlandish accent.

"Oh, I hate it when you do that, Tarrant," Mirana said drearily.

"Why am I not to stay here with you?"

"You heard Absolum – we need a champion to defeat my sister."

"But that's no reason to send me off to live with Thackery until Alice's return."

"Yes, it is," Mirana replied monotonously. "Where he is, is such an isolated place, a good place for hiding and – in the case of you and the March Hare – a place of disguise. You can be as mad as you like there. You know how unstable Thackery is when it comes to completing an important task – he cannot be left alone."

"But neither can you--"

"But I'm well guarded by my knights."

"Hmph!"

"Tarrant," Mirana started again, as if rather bored. "Don't make this harder than it already is."

"I'm not the one making this difficult!" the Hatter yelled.

Mirana locked eyes with Tarrant's dark green ones. "As your queen, I order you to accompany Thackery Earwicket at Iplam until the champion arrives."

Tarrant narrowed his eyes. Something had gone horribly wrong with Mirana; her eyes appeared to be glazed over. "You're serious?" he snarled. "You really rather I stay with Thackery than with you?"

"I don't see the problem. You visit him once a week."

Tarrant blinked a couple of times and tried refocusing on Mirana. Not only were her eyes glazed over, but she looked far paler than usual, and seemed to be rapidly fading away from emotion. "Oh no!" the Hatter cried angrily as he grabbed her shoulders. "Don't go numb on me, darling."

"Numb?" Mirana gave a hollow laugh.

"You can't fool me! I recognize this look! It's the same look you had when your mother died and your father became ill!"

"Why that was ages ago."

"Don't you go on pretending everything is all right!"

Mirana brought a cold hand to rub along the Hatter's white cheek, a weak smile playing at her dark red lips. "But everything will be all right… as soon as our champion comes."

"Mirana!" Tarrant shouted, shaking the queen madly. "Mirana, come back to me!"

"Oh, pish-posh!" Mirana gave another empty laugh as she attempted to swat his hands off her arms. "Enough of this silliness, my love. Go on! Go with Thackery and retrieve my champion!"

"No, Mirana! Let me stay here with you! Name me king tomorrow! Then I'll go after your sister!"

The White Queen laughed again. "But even if you're crowned king tomorrow you're not the champion! What I need is the champion! My people need the champion! We need _the_ Alice! Go with Thackery and then send Alice to me!"

"But my darling raven just name me king and champion…"

Mirana's gaze looked right through him, the odd smile plastered in place. "One cannot write the ending of a story without the proper writing parchment, can they?"

"No."

"I possess the writing feather, but you are no more than the surface of which to write on. I need the parchment."

What once had been posed as a cruel question by the deceased queen mother about their odd relationship had surfaced from Mirana's own dark lips to demean him again. Something was not right within her and he found himself torn of what to do… what would be less damaging for her: for him to disobey her and stay, or for him to do as she asked and leave.

With a heavy heart Tarrant let go of his queen. There was no use quarreling with her; she had her mind fully set on Alice and her heart, he knew all to well, had buried itself deep within her core where it could not be touched by anyone… even by him.


	7. Chapter 7

**Love Checks Fear**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any dialogue, characters, settings, etc. from Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking Glass," nor from Disney's animated "Alice in Wonderland," nor Disney's most recent 2010 film of "Alice in Wonderland." Neither do I own the lyrics of "Meet Me Halfway" by the talented Black Eye Peas, which inspired this particular chapter. What very little creativity that remains is – surprisingly – mine.

**Chapter 7**

Despite the grandfather clock chiming six, and despite the March Hare eagerly changing to a new seat for a clean cup, the sky had darkened to charcoal with very few stars shining through the overcast of dreary clouds.

Unable to sleep, Tarrant sat on the roof of Thackery's windmill house. It was the only place he could view the one place he'd rather be.

"Mirana," he whispered, picturing her in his mind. "If only you knew that I spend all my time thinking about you… every single day." He paused with a sigh. "I'm really missing you and all those silly things we used to do… when it used to be just you and me." The vision of Mirana twirled and giggled and then vanished.

The Hatter's eyes grew heavy with water, which eventually fell down his white cheeks in order for him to see Marmoreal Castle clearly. "Oh, my queen," he began again, looking on at the white palace. "I hope you know I'm only following your orders because I'd do anything for you. I'd travel around the world and even sail the seven seas. I'd cross the universe and go to other galaxies. I'd navigate myself to any place you need me to be. Although…" He took a deep breath, trying to keep his emotions in check, hand beating in time with the grandfather clock's ticks over his vest pocket. "I'd rather be where you are because I want you right now. I love you always."

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Mirana looked out across the shadowed landscape from her bedroom balcony. It had become a new ritual for her to seek out one last time for hope before turning to sleep. She knew that Tarrant had been right all that while ago about having gone numb, but she couldn't admit it to him. She knew better than that, for if she had revealed the truth to him the numbness would have melted away and she would have cracked into a million pieces under the overwhelming weight of emotion. As queen she could not afford to do such a childish, selfish act – her people needed her. And yet… here she was on the balcony again tonight; the tiniest hints of emotion just below the surface of her skin subtly showing through.

"Where are you, Tarrant?" she begged quietly into the night air. "Tell me you've found her and are on your way to me. Can't you meet me halfway? Right here at the borderline? With Alice? This is where I've been waiting for you… looking out for you night and day." She momentarily stopped speaking as she thought back to that Horunvendush Day – back to giving orders to each of her loyal friends, but primarily of that to the Hatter. "I'm so sorry, Tarrant," she began to cry silently to herself. "I promise, I took my heart to the limit… but this is where I must stay and I can't go any further than this castle." Mirana took a deep breath before cursing under her breath, "If it wasn't for the need to get Alice and save the kingdom!" She swallowed her tears before looking at the few stars twinkling through the gray clouds. "Oh, Tarrant… I want you so bad… it's my only wish."


	8. Chapter 8

**Love Checks Fear**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any dialogue, characters, settings, etc. from Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking Glass," nor from Disney's animated "Alice in Wonderland," nor Disney's most recent 2010 film of "Alice in Wonderland." What very little creativity that remains is – surprisingly – mine.

**Chapter 8**

The Hatter, the March Hare, and the Dormouse were each asleep at the table rather than in beds. Having the whole of Underland gone topsy-turvey under the Red Queen's reign, nothing seemed comfortable any more, including beds. All the world had turned gray and nearly reduced to rubble; even Thackery's house had all but fallen apart with its majestic white sails now bent and full of holes.

As a cricket chirped loudly from where it sat on the dusty, unmoved minute hand of the lifeless grandfather clock, Tarrant shifted a bit in his seat, his eyes remaining shut. How long had it been now? Another week? Another month? Another year?

"Alice," he saw Mirana speak to him with an outstretched hand open before him. "Bring me, Alice."

"But, my darling…" he begged, taking her hand in his.

At once she removed her hand as she stated plainly, "Alice."

As Mirana repeated the girl's name soft footsteps pricked at his ears in the dead silence.

"Alice," the Hatter said solemnly, footsteps growing nearer.

"Yes," Mirana blew a kiss to him. "Alice."

With Mirana fading to black, Tarrant fluttered his eyes open and looked around him. Both Thackery and Mallymkun heard the footsteps, too, for as he lifted his head from his end of the table to see what was coming, the March Hare and the Dormouse did the same from their sides of the table.

"No room, no room," grumbled Thackery as he quickly began rearranging the teacups and spoons near him.

Mallymkun merely yawned and rubbed her eyes, trying to get a better look at the little creature approaching their table.

The Hatter, at the far end in a highback chair, stared intently at the small, two-foot tall girl, studying every bit of her.

"New cup, new cup," the March Hare continued.

"What is she doing here?" Mallymkun asked aloud, though more to herself than to either of her friends.

"Your hair wants cutting," the Hatter addressed the little creature.

The small girl narrowed her eyes, trying desperately to see who had said that. She then retorted in a sever manner, "You should learn not to make personal remarks. It's very rude."

Hearing this, Tarrant excitedly jumped up into his chair and hastily walked along the length of the makeshift long-table, not paying attention to what he stepped on – whether teacups, saucers, or cakes – whispering under his breath, "Mirana, Mirana, Mirana…"

"Hey! Watch what you're doing!" Mallymkun shouted at him, but the Hatter ignored her.

Thackery barely moved his teacup out of the way in time. "Hey! Watch it!"

"It's you!" Tarrant cheered with all his heart as he skillfully stepped down from the table and kneeled before the little blonde girl.

"No, it's not," Mallymkun argued as she put a teacup back in place on its saucer. "McTwisp brought us the wrong Alice."

"It's the wrong Alice?" Thackery panicked as he pulled down on his ears.

The Hatter took no notice of them, eyes only set on Alice. "It's absolutely Alice. You're absolutely Alice. I'd know you anywhere." He then looked back at his friends. "I'd know him anywhere."

Thackery and Mallymkun laughed happily at this news.

Without a moment's notice, Tarrant took Alice by the hand and carried her up onto and across the tea party table back to his chair at the far end. "Well, as you can see, we're still having tea. And it's all because I was obliged to kill Time waiting for your return." When they arrived at his chair, he let go of Alice and stepped back onto the ground. "You're terribly late you know… naughty."

Alice gave no reply as she looked at the March Hare pouring tea through a broken cup into an empty, whole teacup.

"Well, anyway," Tarrant went on stacking a few items on the chair to his right, "Time became quite offended and stopped altogether. Not a tick ever since."

Thackery laughed at this until taking notice of the object held in his hand. "Cup."

Alice followed the Hatter's gesture and took a seat. "Time can be funny in dreams."

"Yes, yes, of course," Tarrant agreed. "But now you're back, you see, and we need to get on with the Frabjous Day!"

Looking back down the table, Tarrant noticed Chessur had appeared at the opposite end. Thackery and Mallymkun held up their teacups cheering, "Frabjous Day!"

Tarrant turned back to Alice. "I'm investigating things that begin with the letter M." He paused as he thought of Mirana, leaning forward and then whispering, "Have you any idea why a raven is like a writing desk?"

Abruptly everyone chanted, including Tarrant, "Downal wyth Bluddy Behg Hid!"

"What?" Alice asked, confused.

"Down with the bloody big head," Chessur explained as he stirred his tea with a claw. "Big head being the Red Queen."

"Come, come," Tarrant interrupted. "We simply must commence the slaying and such. And therefore it is high time to forgive and forget or forget and forgive, whichever comes first or is, in any case, most convenient." The Hatter momentarily paused as he pulled out his pocket watch and eyed it. "I'm waiting."

Thackery tried to copy, pulling out his pocket watch out from a nearby teapot. "It's ticking!" he exclaimed in surprise. "It's ticking again!"

"All this talk of blood and slaying," Chessur began in a disappointed manner, putting down his teacup without having sipped it, "has put me off my tea."

"Ah," the Hatter commented with irritation. "The entire world is falling to ruin and poor Chessur's off his… tea."

"What happened that day is not my fault."

Tarrant's eyes shot wide as he made a noisy, sharp intake of air. Thackery recognizing the Hatter filling with great anger began shaking in fear, holding his teacup very close as he whined, "Oh, dear."

"But you knew it would happen!" Tarrant spat bitterly. "It could have all been prevented!"

"What do I care who wears the crown? The Red Queen has never bothered me."

Tarrant angrily slammed his fist onto the table. "No matter that she's enslaved half the population?"

"I don't know any of them personally."

"No matter that she stole the crown from her sister?"

"The White Queen should have put up a better fight."

Tarrant jumped to his feet, his eyes swiftly changing to a dark, treacherous green. "No matter the Red Queen rules with fear, terror, and torture?"

"I fail to see what any of that has to do with me."

"He failed!" the March Hare yelled, holding up a butter knife. "He must be punished! Shall we butter his ears?"

"Naught for usal, Thackery," the Hatter said between gritted teeth, his Outlandish accent present. "Chessur being slurvish…"

"Slurvish!" the Cheshire Cat cried at the insult.

"You are, Chessur. You always have been. An Outlander, in fact. And you'll never change."

"I beg to differ-"

"You're an Outlander if you're out to save your own skin!" Tarrant snapped angrily as he stormed his way over toward the feline. "You guddler's scuttish pilgar lickering shukm juggling sluking urpal. Bar lom muck egg brimni!"

"Hatter!" Mallymkun called out.

The Hatter quickly stopped and blinked his eyes a few times until the dark green had returned to its normal brightness. "Thank you," he squeaked.

"Oooooo, meow," Thackery added.

"I'm fine," Tarrant tried to reassure, his voice still a bit tight.

"What's wrong with you, Tarrant? You're always so angry. You used to be the life of the party. You used to do the best Futterwacken in all of Witzend."

"Futter…what?" came Alice's voice.

"Futterwacken!" Thackery repeated as he began mimicking some of Tarrant's moves in his chair.

"It's a dance," Mallymkun clarified for Alice.

"On the Frabjous Day," Tarrant started smoothly as he walked calmly back to his chair, eyes a bit out of focus as he envisioned Mirana before him, "when the White Queen once again wears the crown…" He paused as Mirana brought a hand to his cheek, her face so close to his. "On that day…" He looked into her eyes. "I shall Futterwacken…" He looked to her lips. "Vigorously."

Thackery and Mallymkun laughed happily at this, breaking the Hatter's concentration. However, another sound diminished the brief celebration… the sound of a horse's neigh and heavy marching. All laughter abruptly ceased.

"Oh, no," Thackery said worriedly, quivering again in fear. He swiftly jumped up on the table and hid behind Chessur.

"Oh," the tabby cat simply said as he turned to see who was coming.

"The Knave!" Mallymkun gasped.

Hearing this, Chessur gave a, "Goodbye," and evaporated.

No longer having the cat to hide behind, Thackery scurried back to his seat.

Tarrant shoved a tiny glass bottle to Alice's lips and whispered, "Drink this quickly."

"Ah! Quick!" Thackery cried.

Immediately Alice shrank to a height of three inches. The moment she stopped shrinking Tarrant grabbed her, and her dress, and stuffed her into a teapot. He then brought the teapot onto his lap below the table.

"Oh, dear," Mallymkun breathed nervously upon seeing dark figures approaching.

Thackery adjusted the dishes set before him and took up his teacup in effort to drink it normally despite how bad he shook. Mallymkun, watching him, quickly doing the same.

Along the edge of where Tulgey Wood began, numbered soldiers of the red army took a stand as the Knave of Hearts dismounted his black horse.

"Well," he greeted, as Bayard the bloodhound sniffed around the table, "if it's not my favorite trio… of lunatics."

"Would you like to join us?" Mallymkun offered politely.

Stayne laughed in response.

Thackery didn't appreciate this. "You're late for tea!" he hollered as he threw his teacup at the Knave.

Stayne ducked just in time. The teacup instead hit the red soldier behind him. Pointing an angry finger at the March Hare as he laughed hysterically, Stayne walked on along the table toward Tarrant. "We're looking for the girl called Alice."

"Speaking of the queen," Tarrant cut in. "Here's a little song we used to sing in her honor…" He looked to his friends and they all sang together, "Twinkle, twinkle little bat, how I wonder what you're at, up above-"

Stayne choked the Hatter from further singing. "If you're hiding her, you'll lose your heads."

"Already lost them," Tarrant wheezed.

Thackery and Mallymkun roared with laughter. Annoyed, Stayne released his hold on Tarrant.

"Altogether now," Tarrant went on as if nothing happened. "Up above the world you fly, like a tea tray in the sky. Twinkle, twinkle…"

Just as the trio were about to finish the song, they found themselves anxiously repeating "twinkle, twinkle" as they watched the collection of tables tremble due to Bayard walking underneath them. The bloodhound came to stop at the teapot Tarrant held in his lap.

"Downal wyth Bluddy Behg Hid," Tarrant whispered to the growling dog. At once, Bayard moved away and took off barking back into the woods.

"Want some tea?" Thackery asked throwing another cup as the Knave took a cup of his own.

"Follow the bloodhound!" Stayne ordered and the soldiers took off after it.

"Sugar?" Mallymkun kindly asked.

"Yes," Thackery answered.

The Dormouse through a cube of sugar at him and it landed perfectly in his teacup.

"Oh, that's lovely."

"You're all mad," the Knave stated.

"Thanks very much," Thackery snickered.

Stayne threw down his teacup before taking off on his horse after the soldiers, Thackery and Mallymkun laughing the whole time.

"Pass the scones, please," Mallymkun said to the March Hare as Stayne rode out of sight.

Thackery grabbed a handful and tossed them to the Dormouse. The two broke into further laughter and giggling.

Tarrant smiled at his friends, then, bringing the teapot onto the table, opened the lid only to quickly close it. "Oh, pardon," he said to Alice. He then opened it again just a tiny bit and pulled out some fabric. "One moment," he said as he took some scissors, a needle, and some thread. In seconds he made a dress and matching shoes to fit her new size. He then dropped the dress into the teapot.

A moment later knocking came from within the teapot. Tarrant removed the lid, pulled Alice out, and set her on the table. "Mmm," he looked her over. "I like it."

"Good thing the bloodhound is one of us," Mallymkun spoke up to Alice. "Or you'd be…" The Dormouse began making throat-cutting gestures and sounds.

"What do they want with me?"

"Best take her to the White Queen. She'll be safe there." Thackery paused as he took notice of the utensil in his right hand. "Spoon."

Tarrant chuckled at this before setting his top hat on the table. "You're carriage, my lady."

Alice eyed it. "The hat?"

"Course. Anyone else can go by horse or rail. But the absolute best way to travel is by hat." The Hatter turned to his friends, "Have I made a rhyme?" The March Hare and Dormouse giggled.

Alice hesitated a second longer, but in the end took to the hat.

"Oh, I love travelling by hat!" Mallymkun said eagerly, attempting to join Alice.

"Sorry, Mally," Tarrant said gently. "Just Alice, please."

The Dormouse pouted, but made no further complaint.

"Fairfarren, all!" Tarrant said as he carefully put on his hat.

"Watcha mean?" cried the March Hare as he threw a teacup at Tarrant.

The Hatter – with hat, Alice, and all – ducked just in time. "I'll take her to the White Queen. Go to McTwisp and get the Vorpal sword."

"White Queen! White Queen!" Thackery laughed before running inside his house.

Mallymkun, on the other hand, nodded her head in understanding. "I'll get it. Don't you worry about a thing."

Tarrant smiled as the Dormouse took off running in direction of Crims. He then turned away toward Tulgey Wood whispering under his breath, "I'm coming, my queen. I'm finally coming."


	9. Chapter 9

**Love Checks Fear**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any dialogue, characters, settings, etc. from Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking Glass," nor from Disney's animated "Alice in Wonderland," nor Disney's most recent 2010 film of "Alice in Wonderland." What very little creativity that remains is – surprisingly – mine.

**Chapter 9**

"Twas brillig, and the slithy toves," Tarrant mumbled as he walked on through Tulgey Wood with Alice seated upon his top hat.

"Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;

All mimsy were the borogoves,

And the mome raths outgrabe.

Beware the Jabberwocky, my child!

The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!

Beware the Jubjub bird, and vile

The frumious Bandersnatch!

She took her Vorpal sword in hand:

Long time the manxome foe she sought—

So rested she by the Tumtum tree,

And stood awhile in thought.

As the Hatter finished another stanza of the poem, Alice lowered himself from the brim so that she could sit on his shoulder. "What was that?" she asked curiously.

Tarrant looked to her as he questioned back with some bitterness, "What was what?"

Not letting Alice say anything more, he went on to finish the poem.

"And as in uffish thought he stood,

The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,

Came whiffling through the Tulgey Wood,

And burbled as it came!

One, two! One, two!

And through and through

The Vorpal blade went snicker-snack!

She left it dead, and with its head

She went galumphing back.

And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?

Come to my arms, my glowing girl!

O Frabjous Day! Callooh! Callay!

She chortled in a whirl."

"That's about you, you know?" he spoke to Alice, his accent becoming apparent.

"I'm not slaying anything," Alice stated firmly. "I don't slay. So put it out of your mind."

"Mmmm…. Mind," Tarrant repeated as he plucked Alice off his shoulder and set her on a tree stump before walking on without her.

"Wait!" Alice cried indignantly. "You can't leave me here!"

The Hatter immediately stopped, pivoted, and advanced right to the stump. "You don't slay," he nearly snorted in his Outlandish accent, obviously aggravated.

"I couldn't even if I wanted to," Alice chided back.

Tarrant narrowed his eyes on the tiny girl. "You're not the same as you were before. You were much more… muchier… you've lost your muchness."

"My muchness?"

Tarrant lowered himself to his knees and poked Alice in the stomach. "In there," he reasoned. "Something's missing."

"Tell me what the Red Queen has done."

"It's not a pretty story."

"Tell me anyway."

Anger subsiding to sadness, Tarrant's accent slowly faded away and he seemed to open his eyes for the first time since stopping his journey.

"It was here," he said looking beyond Alice at the clearing full of scorched stones, charcoaled wood, and parched grass.

"Here?"

"This is—was Yeglut Village. A celebration was held here for the White Queen. It was the anniversary of her crowning. All was well until her sister brought upon the Jabberwocky. The White Knight tried to fight it off as I escaped with the queen to safety, but he was no match despite the Vorpal sword. What the monster didn't kill, the Red Queen enslaved into her kingdom."

"That's awful," Alice remarked, though the Hatter's eyes were focused far away in the distance.

"We have all been waiting for you. I cannot see Mirana until I bring you to her."

"Mirana?"

"Mirana," Tarrant sighed thoughtfully.

"Who's that?"

"Why, she's my darling Mirana, of course."

Alice searched Tarrant's face, but he was still far away. "Hatter?" she called to him. "Hatter!"

Tarrant snapped out of his reminiscing and looked down at Alice. "I'm fine," he whispered in a tight voice.

"Are you?"

He shook his head and looked down at the ground. "I miss my Mirana."

"And who, exactly, is tha--?"

"Hush!" Tarrant suddenly whispered as his head popped up. A moment later the howling of Bayard could be heard.

The Hatter swiftly put Alice back onto his hat and ran for his life through the wood, desperate to reach its edge at the border of Snud and Queast in effort for a straight shot to Marmoreal.

"Go south to Trotter's Bottom," Tarrant explained as he reached the end of the wood. "The White Queen's castle is just beyond."

Noticing the soldiers coming closer, he removed his hat and looked directly at Alice. "Tell the queen I'm retrieving the Vorpal for her."

"But--"

"There's no Time here, Alice. Now, hold down tightly."

Alice unhappily obeyed. Then, after winding up his arm, the Hatter spun his hat out of the trees to the gloomy plains.

Seeing the hat land safely with the tiny girl, Tarrant turned around at the oncoming red army, led by the Knave of Hearts. "Down with the Bloody Red Queen!" he bellowed.

"I knew it!" Stayne hissed as he dismounted and walked up to Tarrant. "The dear hatter of the fair White Queen is a part of the cause against my queen." He turned to his soldiers. "Clasp him in irons!"

Tarrant began laughing hysterically as his hands were chained. "_Your_ queen? You don't have a queen!"

Stayne's temper flared and without warning he punched Tarrant in the ribs. "And whose fault is that?"

Despite doubling over, Tarrant stared accusingly up at the Knave. "Whom, indeed."

"You won't be able to talk out of your way this time!" Stayne spat. "As long as you're locked up, no queen can appease to your sly words!"

The Hatter said nothing to this but instead began laughing once more.

"You're absolutely mad." Stayne took a line of rope from one of his soldiers and tied one end through the links of Tarrant's clasps and tied the other to the horn of his saddle.

"I'm mad?" Tarrant cried in laughter as the Knave took to his horse, ready to ride onward. "You're the one that still believes he has a chance at becoming king!"

Angry at this, Stayne kicked the horse into full gallop in direction of Crims; the Hatter being dragged along.

Once they were out of sight, a large group of Mome Raths sprung to life from where they were huddled against a tree. They ran a bit deeper into the wood until they came to a Pencird, in which they spelled out a message to it. When they were finished, the bird flew out of the wood straight to the White Castle.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Having grown tired of her company of courtiers, Mirana took some time to herself sitting alongside one of the garden fountains. Another white-cloudy day seemed to be passing by without any news.

"Oh, Tarrant," she whispered to herself as she looked beyond the flowerbeds and bushes to their once usual tea spot. "How much longer?"

A cool breeze swept through the air and the White Queen shuddered. Never – even when accompanied by courtiers, knights, or her maids – had she ever felt so very alone.

"Where are you?" she whispered on. However, before she could add on in speaking her thoughts aloud, the Pencird landed at her side.

"What are you doing here, silly little thing?" Mirana looked to the pencil-head bird.

The bird began tapping its pointed, ebony beak at the ground.

"Oh! You've a message for me?"

The Pencird fluttered its wings in reply.

"Come!" Mirana cried as she stood from the fountain and hurried in direction of the tea table. "Come this way!"

The little bird flew after the queen. When they reached the table, Mirana pointed at a napkin. "There, sweet thing. Write the message there."

Happy with this, the Pencird began writing one word at a time with its lead beak.

"Alice. Is. Here," Mirana read. "Hatter. Taken. By. Knave." Lifting her eyes to the bird, which had stopped writing, she asked, "Is that all?"

The bird nodded.

"Thank you so very much," Mirana said with a gentle smile. "I very much appreciate this message."

The Pencird fluttered its wings again happily before taking flight back toward the Tulgey Wood.

Mirana remained seated at the table for a moment longer; the closed-lip smile still plastered on her face, her fist holding the napkin.

"There you are, my queen," one of the ladies in waiting called to her as she neared the table. "Everything all right?"

Mirana merely shifted her eyes to the woman. "Yes, everything is just right, thank you." She paused as she stood. "But I am feeling a bit tired. I'll be taking a nap if anyone needs me." Not letting her lady in waiting have a say in this, the White Queen gracefully glided away into the castle.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Up the stairs, down the corridor, and into her room Mirana went in silence with a soft smile to those she passed by. However, the moment she shut and locked the door behind her, the smile vanished and water drowned her dark eyes.

"Tarrant!" she tried to scream, but it only came out as a strained whisper. "Come back to me, Tarrant! Escape to me, Tarrant!"

Mirana collapsed onto her bed, burying her wet face into a pillow. "Tarrant, I need you!"

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"It's getting late," Stayne sneered as he shoved the Hatter into a cell. "So you'll remain in here for the night until further instruction."

"She'll want to see me," Tarrant chuckled. "You know she will."

Stayne back-handed the laughing man. "The only time she'll see you is at your beheading."

"No trial?" Tarrant asked as he rubbed his sore jaw.

"There's no need of that any more now with the king gone."

"Gone?"

A grin slithered onto Stayne's face as he gestured a finger across his neck.

"Ah, yes. Off with his head. No doubt your idea."

"You lost me the crown of Underland twice!"

Tarrant laughed. "How was I supposed to know Iracebeth would actually take my suggestion to marry the King of Hearts seriously?"

Stayne grabbed the Hatter by the collar and pressed him up against the stone wall. "You knew very well what you were doing! Not only with her but with her sister, too!"

Tarrant's eyes grew dangerously dark green. "You never loved Mirana."

"Love has nothing to do with being king."

"Love has _everything_ to do with being _her_ king!" spat Tarrant in a thick Outlandish accent.

Furious with this reply, Stayne kneed the Hatter in the stomach before throwing him to the ground and kicking him a few times in the ribs. "You will never be king!"

With that said, the Knave left a moaning Tarrant huddled in a ball on the floor.


	10. Chapter 10

**Love Checks Fear**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any dialogue, characters, settings, etc. from Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking Glass," nor from Disney's animated "Alice in Wonderland," nor Disney's most recent 2010 film of "Alice in Wonderland." What very little creativity that remains is – surprisingly – mine.

**Chapter 10**

Night had fallen once again. Mirana found herself surrounded by her ladies in waiting as they guarded to make sure she didn't leave her seat at the dining table.

"Thackery," she began weakly to the March Hare. "I'm not hungry. Honestly. Let me go to bed."

"No!" the Hare proclaimed as he removed the salad that sat before her with a bowl of his famous stew. "Try this instead! The Queen must eat!"

"But I don't want to eat. Anything. I just want to sleep."

"No!" Thackery shouted again as he threw the ladle across the room. "You sleep too much! You sleep even more than Mally! That's not good! You're not a dormouse! You need to eat!"

Mirana stared at the bowl of vegetable stew, but no appetite came. She turned to one of her maids with a sorrowful look.

"Please, Your Majesty," the maid nearest her pleaded. "You need your strength."

Mirana looked back to the bowl before her. "What good is strength when one's kingdom is no more, leaving one so very alone?"

"But, Your Majesty, you are not alone we are--"

"Leave!" the March Hare suddenly screamed to the women at Mirana's sides. "Be gone I say!" He threw several teacups at them, making them scamper out the room. "I don't need your help no more!"

Once the room was clear of the maids, Mirana gave Thackery a skeptical look. She then began to stand.

"Sit!" the Hare yelled at her, a teacup narrowly missing her head.

"Thackery, I don't want to eat," Mirana whined.

The March Hare jumped onto the table and took a seat on the other side of the bowl of stew. "I don't care if you're hungry or not. I don't care if you want to or not. You will eat."

"No, Thackery, I won't--"

"Yes, you will! What would Tarrant do if he saw you like this?"

The White Queen said nothing as she dropped her gaze to her fidgeting hands in her lap.

"Tarrant would be very upset! Very, very upset!"

"I know," Mirana whimpered. "I just… I just miss him so much. I'm afraid of what will become of him…"

"Shh! Hatter's a smart man! Have hope, White Queen!"

Mirana looked up at the March Hare. "I just wish this would all pass already. I wish the Frabjous Day came and went. I wish Tarrant was with me this very moment."

Thackery frowned as a single tear slid down the queen's fair face. "If he was here he would not approve of your state."

Mirana swallowed a heavy sob.

"Please, White Queen, take a few spoonfuls of my stew. Do it not for you or me or your ladies. Do it for the Hatter. You must look good for when he returns."

"But--"

"He will return! Be patient and be hopeful! Tarrant will come back to you!"

Mirana gave a closed-lip smile before repeating, "Tarrant will come back to me."

Thackery laughed at this. "Yes! Good! Now eat!"

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

With the castle finally in silence as the night grew on, the White Rabbit made his way down to its depths. He had heard quiet exchanges between the number soldiers of an odd rumor and needed to find whether it was true or not.

"Oh dear," McTwisp gasped as he entered the prison ward and found the Hatter huddled in pain on the hard stone floor. "You _are_ here."

Tarrant turned his head just enough so that he could see the white creature. "McTwisp?" he groaned.

"Oh, my! This is not good!" the rabbit panicked. "This is not good at all!"

Tarrant slowly pushed himself up to a seated position, one hand pressed against his right side. "Oh," he moaned angrily. "That Knave…"

"Shh," McTwisp said. "Don't get worked up now. We need to get you out of there."

"I can't leave without the Vorpal sword."

"You need attending to--"

"I need the sword!" the Hatter abruptly snapped. "I can't return to Mirana without it!"

"I'm quite sure Mirana wouldn't mind. She's a very understandi--"

"No! My orders were to return to her _with_ the sword! If I show up without it, then I fail her!"

"You could never fail the White Que--"

"I'll fail her!"

McTwisp gave a sad look to the broken man behind the iron bars. "When is Ches when we need him?" he sighed.

"You called?" the tabby cat practically sang as he appeared directly between the Hatter and the White Rabbit, the iron bars going right through him.

"Ches," McTwisp began. "We need you to retrieve the Vorpal sword and then free Tarrant."

"The Vorpal what?" Chessur asked as he weaved between the bars in mid-air.

"The Vorpal sword!" McTwisp yelled. "You're the only one that can get in and out of its holding place."

"Are you mad?" Chessur grinned. "The Bandersnatch is in there with it!"

McTwisp unhappily tapped his foot.

"Don't be upset with me," the Cheshire Cat purred. "That sword is only meant for one person."

The White Rabbit looked at the blue-striped tabby cat curiously.

"The champion of course… Alice."

"Alice," the Hatter said strongly between heavy breathing, "is on her way to Marmoreal as we speak."

"Is she?" Chessur grinned madly. "How delightful!"

The Hatter frowned at the cat. "Where is the Vorpal sword, Ches?"

"Locked away with the Bandersnatch, of course."

"And where exactly is the Bandersnatch?"

"In the side courtyard."

McTwisp shot a glance at Tarrant. "You can't seriously be considering to get the sword yourself."

"What other choice is there?" Tarrant winced in pain.

"But with the beating and all that the Knave did to you…"

"I'll be better!" he shot back. "You'll see!"

Chessur frowned sadly at Tarrant. "You really aren't in any condition to fight off the Bandersnatch."

Tarrant glared angrily at the cat. "You won't help," he stated flatly.

"Not my place to help." Chessur rolled about in the air. "But… if I were you… I'd wait for… Alice."

"Alice?" McTwisp asked. "But she's on her way to the White Queen."

"Perhaps. But remember… Alice is her own queen. And it was her own curiosity and determination that navigated her through our world, for she rarely listens to anyone. She has a mind of her own."

"But she doesn't have much muchness," Tarrant groaned. "She's lost it. She won't slay. She told me."

"Alice isn't predictable, Tarrant," Chessur said, twirling in the air. "And neither should you."

Before the Hatter could retort, the cat vanished.

"I suppose that could happen," McTwisp whispered, more to himself than to Tarrant.

"If it does come true, then McTwisp, you must help Alice get the sword."

"And what about you?"

"Don't worry about me!" the Hatter cried as he writhed. "We simply can't go to the White Queen empty handed!"

McTwisp nodded.

"Now, go! It's getting too close to morning."

McTwisp looked to the narrow window near the ceiling; the first rays of dawn streaming through.

"Will you be all right?"

"Yes! Go!"

McTwisp hesitated a moment longer before running back the way he had come from.

Tarrant looked around the shadowy gloom of his cell. "I'm sorry, Mirana," he barely spoke. "I don't mean to fail you."


	11. Chapter 11

**Love Checks Fear**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any dialogue, characters, settings, etc. from Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking Glass," nor from Disney's animated "Alice in Wonderland," nor Disney's most recent 2010 film of "Alice in Wonderland." What very little creativity that remains is – surprisingly – mine.

**Chapter 11**

"Had a good rest, I hope," Stayne's mocking voice broke the silence of the prison ward.

Tarrant opened his eyes from where he sat against the wall. It hadn't been more than a couple of hours since McTwisp had left him.

"Now," the Knave said as he reached the Hatter's cell, four guards behind him. "I want answers this morning."

Tarrant gave an odd smile. "Yes. No. Maybe. What is the square root of pi. C. All of the above."

Stayne laughed humorlessly. "Always the life of the party."

Tarrant narrowed his eyes on the Knave. "So I've been told."

Stayne gestured to one of his soldiers and the cell door was opened. "Tell me, Hatter. What were you doing in Tulgey Wood?"

Tarrant widened his smile as Stayne walked up to him. "Taking a stroll down memory lane."

"Oh, really?"

"Why, Knave, have you forgotten what happened at Yeglut?"

Stayne eyed the Hatter carefully. "You weren't alone, were you?"

"Well, if you want to count the Mome Raths, the Pencirds, the Slithy Toves, the Sweep-dogs, the Borogoves, and the family of Honky ducks then I suppose I wasn't alone."

Stayne snorted at this reply. He then motioned for two soldiers to stand the Hatter up on his feet. "You saw Alice," Stayne sneered. "Didn't you?"

Tarrant began laughing hysterically.

The Knave back-handed Tarrant's face just like the night before. "You saw her and you helped her escape! Admit it!"

Unable to massage his jaw like before with a soldier at each side of him holding onto his arms, Tarrant stared at the stone floor in silence.

"Don't be a fool, Hatter!" Stayne cruelly teased. "You're just bringing all of this upon yourself!"

Tarrant began to chuckle as he slowly lifted his head to look at the Knave. "What will she do to you when she learns you can't find Alice?"

Stayne grabbed the Hatter's neck tightly. "I will find Alice."

"Not in here, you won't," Tarrant exhaled.

Stayne's grip tightened. "You know where she is! Tell me! Where is Alice?"

Tarrant could barely laugh as he answered happily, "Up above the world she flies, like a tea tray in the sky."

Stayne immediately brought his knee to Tarrant's already tender ribs. "You think this all a joke?" he yelled as the Hatter fell to the ground laughing.

"Actually, a riddle is more of what this is," Tarrant laughed back.

Stayne pulled out his sword and pointed it at the Hatter's neck. "You tell me right now, Hatter. Where is Alice?"

"Why do you care? You think finding Alice will promote you to king?"

The point of sword pressed deeper against Tarrant's skin. "Do you think withholding this information from me will bear you the crown of Marmoreal?" the Knave retorted.

Tarrant laughed at this.

With the sword still pointed at the Hatter's neck, Stayne kicked the man in the stomach, killing the laughter altogether. "Where is Alice?"

Tarrant merely shook his head as he wrapped his arms around his middle.

"I need an answer right now, Hatter! Where is she?"

"Not here," Tarrant wheezed.

"Don't get smart on me, mad man! Where?"

Tarrant didn't answer. Stayne gave another kick. "Speak, Hatter!"

"I don't know," Tarrant breathed in pain.

"You lie!"

Tarrant chuckled at this. "So do you!"

"A thousand pardons, Stayne," came McTwisp's voice as he ran up to the iron bars. "But her--"

"Not now!"

"But, sir, her majesty beckons you."

Stayne growled at this. "Fine." After putting away his sword he bent down and grabbed Tarrant by his wild, orange hair. "The moment I'm done attending to my queen, I'll be back to beat the truth out of you. I suggest you have an answer ready." With that said, Stayne dropped Tarrant's head to the stone floor as he stood and ordered his soldiers to follow suit.

"What does the queen want?" Tarrant struggled to ask McTwisp when Stayne and the soldiers left.

"She wants to know if the rumors of you being here are true," the White Rabbit whispered nervously.

Tarrant eyed the rabbit suspiciously as he forced himself up to sit against the wall. "What is going on?"

McTwisp quickly looked around, afraid that they weren't alone. "Alice is here."

Tarrant blinked a few times, a hand pressed against his sore ribs. "Alice? Here?"

"The queen has been playing croquet all morning, but the game quickly ended on account of Alice appearing."

"Alice!" Tarrant cried angrily.

"Shh! Shh!" McTwisp hushed harshly.

Tarrant writhed in pain for a moment before continuing in a crisp whisper, "She's supposed to be at Marmoreal!"

"I know, I know. She said she's come to rescue you."

"How? She'll get caught--"

McTwisp shook his head. "She's yet to be found out. The queen believes her to be Uum from Umbradge. She ate too much upelkuchen. She's very big now."

"Oh!" Tarrant groaned. "I'm not the one in need of rescuing!"

"Is that so?" snorted Mallymkun as she ran through the bars up to the Hatter, "Your circumstances appear to say otherwise." She then turned around to face the White Rabbit. "I see that the rumors of the Hatter are true. What are we going to do?"

"You," Tarrant said strongly through clenched teeth to both the Dormouse and McTwisp, "are to make sure Alice gets the Vorpal sword and escape to the White Queen."

"Yes, sir," Mallymkun saluted passionately, before questioning hesitantly, "Are you sure she's The Alice?"

"Mally," Tarrant snapped. "She is The Alice. But in any case, no matter what, make sure she gets the sword and flees to Marmoreal!"

"Sir, yes, sir!"

"I need to get the Oraculum," McTwisp mumbled.

Tarrant's eyes grew wide upon hearing this. "Where is it?"

"Stayne took it. I don't know where he's placed it."

"Brilliant," Tarrant sighed

"But what about you?" the Dormouse asked with a hint of worry to the Hatter.

"Don't worry about me, Mally. The queen will want to see me sooner or later. I'll find a way out."

"But--" Mallymkun began before the noise of marching soldiers cut in.

"You see?" Tarrant almost laughed. "They've come for me now."

McTwisp and Mallymkun swiftly hid in the darkest corner of the prison ward.

"You! Hatter!" Stayne yelled as he approached the cell.

Tarrant laughed all the harder. He knew Stayne could not so easily have his way with a queen like Iracebeth.

Stayne stared at the laughing man. "Absolute lunatic," he grumbled before unlocking and opening the cell door. "Tarrant Hightopp," the Knave announced, "you have been summoned to have an audience with her majesty the Red Queen of Hearts."

Tarrant simply continued to laugh as two soldiers picked him up by the arms and escorted him out of the cell. His time with the queen had finally come.


	12. Chapter 12

**Love Checks Fear**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any dialogue, characters, settings, etc. from Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking Glass," nor from Disney's animated "Alice in Wonderland," nor Disney's most recent 2010 film of "Alice in Wonderland." What very little creativity that remains is – surprisingly – mine.

**Chapter 12**

The doors to the red throne room opened. Tarrant found himself no longer laughing as he was forced forward, hands still in chains, toward the Red Queen. Stayne was standing to the left of her, but someone else sat to the right of her.

When Tarrant reached the steps leading up to where Iracebeth sat, he kneeled down and rolled his head to the side to get a better view of the queen's company. Mallymkun was right, Alice was quite bigger than the last time he had seen her.

"We know Alice has returned to Underland," the Red Queen's voice snapped Tarrant out of his thoughts. "Do you know where she is?"

The Hatter rolled his head back to the center, eyes looking up through his bushy brows at the queen. "I've been considering things that begin with the letter M: moron, mutiny, murder, malice--"

"We're looking for an A word now," Iracebeth cut in. "Where is Alice?"

Tarrant's brows knitted together for a long moment before he shrugged saying, "Who? That wee little boy? I wouldn't know."

The Red Queen glared down at the Hatter. "What if I take off your head, will you know then?"

Tarrant broke into hysterical laughter.

"Stop that!"

At once Tarrant shut his mouth. As silence momentarily settled, he took advantage as best he could. "What a regrettably large head you have," he began sweetly. "I should very much like to hat it."

"Hat it?" Iracebeth asked, confused.

"Yes," Tarrant answered as he slowly stood up. "I used to hat the White Queen, you know. But there wasn't very much for me to work with, poor dear. Her head is so small."

"It's tiny!" the Red Queen agreed. "A pimple of a head!"

"But this!" Tarrant cheered with great admiration, ignoring the queen's comment about Mirana as he took one step at a time closer to the queen. "What I could do with this monument… this orb. Nay, this magnificently heroic globe!"

Iracebeth eyed the Hatter carefully. "What could you do?"

Tarrant gave a frown as he lifted his chained hands in a helpless manner.

"Unbound him, Stayne!" Iracebeth ordered the Knave. "How can he work if his hands are bound?"

"You can't be serious, my queen…" Stayne quietly protested into her ear.

"I said unbound him!"

Stayne rolled his eyes and grumbled under his breath as he took his sword and slashed through the links that bound the Hatter's hands.

"Well, than," Tarrant said smiling for a brief second at the Knave before putting his entire focus on the queen. "Shall it be a bonnet or a boater," he asked as he walked around the throne to take a stance between Iracebeth and Alice. "Or something for the boudoir?" With only a slight pause, the Hatter mused on out loud in an almost manic way. "Cloche, dunce hat, death cap, coif, snood, barboosh, pugree, yarmulke, cockle-hat, porkpie, tam-o'-shanter, billycock, bicorn, tricorn, bandeau, bongrace, fan-tail, nightcap, garibaldi, fez--"

"Hatter!" Alice hissed from behind him.

Tarrant immediately stopped.

"Hmmm," Iracebeth considered thoughtfully before turning her attention to everyone else in the room, including Alice, "Leave us!"

A wide grin spread across Tarrant's face.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

At Marmoreal, Mirana continued her stroll about the castle gardens – her courtiers and ladies in waiting only feet behind her – inspecting the work of her loyalists.

"I agree the flowers seem to be in good spirits," the White Queen addressed the small group of loyalists accompanying her walk. "You all seem to excel rather well there. No doubt when our champion comes they will be singing for her."

"Thank you," the loyalists acknowledged.

"However," she went on as they crossed the courtyard of the front gate bordered by cherry orchards, "the trees still seem sad. Have you been speaking with them?"

"Yes, Yes, Your Majesty," the loyalists hurriedly spoke up.

"Odd," Mirana said with a tilt of her head. "Oh, well. Perhaps a bit more kindly."

Before she added to this, the White Queen caught sight of Bayard tiredly running toward her.

"Would you all excuse me for a moment?" she pardoned herself from the group of loyalists and courtiers. "Please continue with the inspection. Thank you."

As the group walked on without her Mirana ran to the tired dog.

"What news, Bayard?" she asked the bloodhound eagerly as she kneeled down to him.

"Alice has returned to Underland," Bayard breathed heavily.

Mirana's smile brightened hearing this confirmation to the message the Pencird gave her. "Where is she now?"

"In Salazen Grum," Bayard answered lowering his head in guilt. "Forgive me, I allowed her to divert from her destined path.

"No, no, no, no," Mirana cooed as she massaged the bloodhound's head. "That is exactly where she will find the Vorpal sword."

Bayard merely panted in reply.

"But tell me, sweet Bayard, what diverted her to do such a brave thing?"

"The Hatter. She said she needed to save the Hatter."

Mirana held her smile in place as she looked off into the distance. "Very good. He'll be able to help her get the sword." She looked back at the dog. "We have our champion, Bayard! Rest now. You've done well."

Happy to hear this, Bayard collapsed onto the ground. Mirana grinned at this before standing. "I shall see you later, dear friend."

Leaving the bloodhound to rest, the White Queen cheerfully glided away into the palace and straight up to her suite.

"Oh, Alice! My dear, dear champion, Alice!" Mirana groaned quietly as she turned away from locking the door. "You were supposed to come to me!"

She walked further into her suite to her large sitting room where the walls lined with bookshelves and, amongst the chaise and two armchairs, stood a long table covered with beakers, tubes, and odd chemicals.

"To me, Alice!" Mirana whined on, taking a stand by the open balcony doors. "Oh! Tarrant was to get the sword and you were supposed to come to me! That's why Tarrant gave himself up to the Knave for you to come here! To come to _me_! I need a champion! Tarrant knew this! That's why he gave himself up for you! That's why he gave himself up for _you_--" Mirana abruptly gasped as she realized what she was saying. "Tarrant. Gave himself up. For _you_. For _Alice_."

The room suddenly started to spin.

"And you… Alice… are at Salazen Grum… trying to save the Hatter…" Mirana managed to walk over to the chaise and plopped down onto it. "_My_ hatter… to save _my _hatter…" Mirana momentarily went quiet as the memory of mother's anger burning against her and Tarrant came to her mind. "_My writing desk_…" she whispered.

The White Queen shook her head. "No!" she cried out. "No! No! No! He may be a writing desk but he's _my_ writing desk! Do you hear me? Tarrant is _my_ hatter!" She stood up and began storming around the room grabbing whatever sat within reach – whether book, pillow, or glass tube – and throwing it to the marble floor. "Tarrant isn't _yours_ to save! He's not, Alice! He's not! He's _mine_! He's _my_ Tarrant!"

Mirana came to a stop when she reached the balcony doors again. "If anyone is to save him, it's _me_!" she whimpered as she fell to the floor. "_I_ should be the one to rescue him! It should be _me_!" A single tear splashed on the floor. "If only I could… if only I could leave this place! If only I wasn't bound here! Banished here! Exiled here! If only _I _could rescue you, _my_ darling Tarrant!" Mirana looked out the window to the white sky. "Oh, Tarrant! Did you really give yourself up for _her_? For _Alice_? Has it been too long?" The queen wiped away the watery trail of the one tear that escaped her eyes before dropping her head in defeat. "It's been too long, hasn't it, Tarrant? Hasn't it? Too long…"


	13. Chapter 13

**Love Checks Fear**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any dialogue, characters, settings, etc. from Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking Glass," nor from Disney's animated "Alice in Wonderland," nor Disney's most recent 2010 film of "Alice in Wonderland." What very little creativity that remains is – surprisingly – mine.

**Chapter 13**

After several hours taking notes of measurements of the Red Queen's head from all angles and notes on what colors and styles she preferred, Tarrant was escorted to a private sewing room. Although immediately, upon arriving with the guards to this luxurious room, Tarrant was chained by the ankle to the room itself, he didn't seem to take full notice of this as servants began flooding into the room bringing an assortment of wiring, fabrics, feathers, ribbons, buttons, bows, lace, color dyes, and mannequin heads replicating that of the queen.

"Ah, yes," the Hatter awed with wide eyes that drank up all the materials that were covering the tables. "Hats call to me."

The moment the servants left him alone in the room, Tarrant, with fingers itching to get started, grabbed red fabric and black feathers and took a stand at the sewing table next to a mannequin head. "Brilliant! Perfect!" he laughed in a daze as he began forming his first hat. "I'll bring it forward at this angle! Yes! And then the feathers at the backside on end! Yes! This we'll be superb! Brilliant! Perfect!"

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

After learning of Alice being in Underland, and sadly the Hatter being taken by the Knave, from the Pencird, all in the kingdom noticed the White Queen becoming a little bit more expressive of her emotions. However, since Bayard's return, she quickly froze to a near solid piece of numbing ice once again.

"Did you wish to summon someone, Your Majesty?" one of the ladies in waiting asked as she approached the queen seated on her throne.

"No, thank you," Mirana smiled pleasantly.

"Perhaps you wish to check what progress the loyalists have made with the trees?" another maid asked.

"No, no, that's quite all right, dear. I'm sure they are doing excellent work in making the trees happier."

"Your Highness," a courtier curtsied to the White Queen. "Would you like the soft melodies of the string quartet? I can call for them right away."

Mirana smiled down at the woman. "That won't be necessary. I'm content just as is, but thank you, dear."

The queen paid no attention as the courtiers, ladies in waiting, and even a few of the guarding knights began to whisper among themselves. She sat on her throne in the great white hall in peaceful bliss; a simple closed-lip, dark-red smile not quite reaching her eyes.

"What an odd situation," came a sing-song voice from Mirana's left. She shifted her eyes and found the Cheshire Cat floating nearby. "Should I dismiss the others? Request a private sitting with my favorite queen?"

"Oh, am I your favorite now?" Mirana teased in a hollow manner.

The cat gave a large grin and a wink before shape-shifting into her and turning around to face the other people in the room. "That's enough for today," he mimicked her voice perfectly. "I'd like some time alone."

The courtiers, maids, and knights gave a momentary questioning glance before scurrying out of the great hall.

Chessur returned to his normal appearance of gray with turquoise stripes.

"How can I help you, Ches?" Mirana asked sweetly.

"Mmmm," the cat hummed as he rolled in the air. "I'm not the one in need of help."

"Very well," Mirana said, the smile still present. "You wish some company?"

Chessur brought his upside-down face very close to the queen's. "I'm not the one wishing for _particular company_."

Mirana's smile broke into a toothy grin. "What is it that you want, Ches?"

The cat twirled right-side-up. "It's not about what _I_ want…"

"You're not making any sense, Chessur."

The Cheshire Cat chuckled at this. "Much like a riddle?"

Mirana narrowed her smiling eyes on the tabby cat. "What are you trying to get at?"

Chessur swished his tail happily. "_Who_ are you trying to get at?"

Mirana blinked a few times. "What?" She shook her head, still smiling. "What is the matter with you, Ches?"

"Nothing," the cat grinned. "What's the _hatter_ with you?"

"What… what…?" the White Queen stuttered as the cat evaporated. "Come back here, Ches! Chessur!" She immediately stood and looked all around her and her throne, but no Cheshire Cat lurked about.

"That's not funny," Mirana huffed as she took to her elaborate chair. "Not funny at all, Ches."

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Tarrant, whistling jovially, finished his twelfth hat for the Red Queen when nightfall covered the Heart Kingdom.

"Perfect!" he praised as he set the laced headdress on a stand and set to work on pulling new materials to start another hat. "Should try twisting this around to the front this time… oh, and with the ribbons dangling off here… maybe… and perhaps a bow… hmmm…"

"Wow," came a voice, full of admiration.

Tarrant looked up to see Alice enter the room carrying his hat, her eyes going from hat to hat as she approached him.

"They're wonderful!" she commended.

"It's good to be working at my trade again," Tarrant admitted gleefully as he ran the sewing machine along the newly picked fabric and ribbon of choice.

Alice gave him a sad smile. "It's just a pity you had to make them for _her_."

"Yes," the Hatter agreed with a grin, not fully taking in what Alice had said. "For her…"

As the words finally sank in, Tarrant stopped the machine and looked around the room at all the hats he had made. A breath caught in his throat as he realized with horror that he had not only agreed to be Iracebeth's hatter, but had actually created many hats for her.

"For her," he whispered. "What is the hatter with me? Hatter… mmmmm… Mir… Mir… Mirana…"

Furious with himself for allowing this obsession with making hats distract him from his duties, he raged at everything around him – clearing the table of all the various, beautiful materials, knocking hats to the floor, and then reaching for the full body mannequin to throw… only to find that he could not do so due to being chained at the ankle.

"Mirana!" he yelled with all his might as he kicked and fought with the iron shackle at his leg.

At that moment, Alice took his face in her hands and called him out his tantrum, "Hatter!"

Tarrant suddenly became silent and stiff as he looked up at Alice. "Have you any idea why a raven is like a writing desk?" he eventually managed to whisper. "A raven is like a writing desk, isn't it?"

"Not sure," Alice replied gently. "I suppose a raven _could_ be like a writing desk."

Tarrant frowned, tears in his eyes. "I don't like it here, it's terribly crowded, it's too red, it's not home." He paused for a moment in thought. "Have I gone mad?"

Alice brought her hands around to gently feel his forehead and cheeks – being extra careful of his bruised right cheek. "I'm afraid so. You're entirely bonkers," she said before breaking into a wide smile. "But I'll tell you a secret… all the best people are."

Tarrant grinned at this and straightened himself up as Alice let go of him. She reached behind her, took his hat from where she had set it on a few stacked boxes, and then snuggly set it on Tarrant's head.

"That's better," she said looking the Hatter over. "You look yourself again."

As Tarrant opened his mouth to give thanks, Iracebeth's voice echoed into the room from down the hall. "Hat man!" she demanded at the top of her lungs. "Where are my hats? I am not a patient monarch!"

"I'm told the Vorpal sword is in the side courtyard," Tarrant spilled out to Alice in a whisper. "The Bandersnatch guards it."

Alice's eyes widened in worry.

"Get it, Alice," Tarrant went on. "Take it to the White Queen."

"No," Alice whispered back. "We'll go to the White Queen together."

The Hatter grinned. "Why is it you're always too small or too tall?"

"Hat man!" screeched the Red Queen.

"Go," Tarrant said, shooing Alice away.

"I'll come back for you," Alice replied as she reached the doorway.

Tarrant shook his head laughing. "Go!"


	14. Chapter 14

**Love Checks Fear**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any dialogue, characters, settings, etc. from Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking Glass," nor from Disney's animated "Alice in Wonderland," nor Disney's most recent 2010 film of "Alice in Wonderland." What very little creativity that remains is – surprisingly – mine.

**Chapter 14**

"What is going on, White Queen?" Thackery asked as he bounced his way down the length of the empty, great hall. "Maids tell me you now don't sleep."

Mirana, with a sad smile at her lips, shook her head. "I don't want to sleep… I can't sleep."

"Why not?" the March Hare asked, flailing his arms about.

"Because I can't stop thinking."

Thackery eyed the queen intensely. "I see." He then leapt back to the front doors and yelled to the ladies nearest him, "Tea! Now! Music! Now! Distraction! Distraction!"

Within minutes a table was set for tea before Mirana and the string quartet set up at the corner to her right.

"Distraction!" Thackery shouted. "Start distraction now!"

Mirana smiled wider at her friend's help. However, as she took to her tea, her lips bumped into something solid within the fine liquid. With a spoon she fished out a pocket watch. Just like with Chessur earlier, Mirana began to feel her hard surface begin to crack.

As she set the watch on the table, the string quartet took to strumming. Yet, of all the songs they chose to play it was the quick-tempo waltz she had last danced with Tarrant.

"Stop it, Thackery," she said softly to the March Hare. "Stop the music!"

Thackery swiftly threw a teacup at the violinist and yelled at them to go away.

"This isn't helping," Mirana stated flatly as the hall emptied back to just the two of them.

Thackery narrowed his eyes skeptically on the queen. "I thought thoughts of Hatter a good distraction."

Mirana ever-so calmly curled her lips into a smile. "No, dear Thackery, that was my point. I can't stop thinking… about _him_."

Thackery rest his chin in his hand as he leaned forward eagerly as if ready for a good story. "Why is that bad?"

"Well," the White Queen weakly began, a little frustrated, "it's not bad… it's just… it's been too long."

"Oh, hard to remember what it's like to think about him again, eh?"

"Uh, no. It's not like that at all."

"Then what is it like?"

"It's… it's a lot like not being sure if he loves me… any more."

Just as she finished speaking, Mirana found herself narrowly dodging a teacup full of tea.

"Where did you get a mad idea like that?" Thackery reprimanded the queen.

"It's not a mad idea… it could be possible… it might be possible… it's quite possible… it's been too long," Mirana ended lamely. 

"Time never stopped the Hatter!"

"Yes, but what if it is something other than Time…"

The March Hare pulled a gavel from his pocket and banged it on the table. "I say we change the subject!"

Mirana tilted her head in confusion over the abrupt action despite it not being entirely surprising.

"Let's talk of shoes and ships and sealing wax and of cabbages and kings and why the sea is boiling hot and whether pigs have wings."

Mirana blinked for a moment. "That's quite a list of subjects."

"Yes!" Thackery cheered.

"Is the sea boiling hot?" Mirana pondered out loud.

"It is?" Thackery jumped excitedly as he leaned closer to her. "I had no idea. Tell me. And start from the beginning. Then when you reach the end… stop."

"No, Thackery, I'm asking you… is the sea boiling hot? I had not heard about this."

"Neither have I."

"But… you're the one who mentioned it."

The March Hare sipped his tea before looking at the queen in confusion. "Mentioned what?"

"About the sea boiling hot."

"The sea is boiling hot?"

"No, Thackery! You…! Oh, nevermind!" Mirana stood from her throne with a plain smile. "Perhaps bed is best." Ending on that note, she glided out of the great hall.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Tarrant was called forth to the dressing room of the Red Queen first thing in the morning.

As she took a seat in front of a large mirror, her courtiers gathered all around, Tarrant – taking a stand on a stool behind her – took the first of his many hats and placed it on her gigantic head.

However, when he looked in the mirror he did not see Iracebeth, but rather her sister wearing the hat he designed.

"Mirana," his lips begged to whisper.

He saw the White Queen smile up at him, but the moment he heard "No" she was replaced by the heartless queen once more.

Tarrant threw that red hat to the side and took up another one with black feathers. Turning to the mirror he found Mirana again.

"You are stunning in that hat!" the man with a large belly commented.

Tarrant's smile widened, still looking at Mirana. "Yes, she does," he wished to say.

"Yes," Iracebeth broke the spell. "Next."

A bit annoyed to see the Red Queen in the mirror, Tarrant took up the black wide-brim hat to cover her face.

"Your Majesty has never looked better," the woman nearest the queen praised as her incredibly large nose fell to the ground.

"Another," Iracebeth commanded, but Tarrant was too distracted to pay her any attention.

"You dropped something," Tarrant whispered to the woman as he held the hat in place on the queen.

The courtier realized her fake nose was what had fallen and quickly took it up, holding it in place again.

Seeing this, suspicion rose in Tarrant. He quickly looked around at the other courtiers noticing for the first time that all of their "large" features were in fact fake. Unable to contain himself, he broke out in wild laughter.

"Oh, never mind him," the Red Queen dismissed. "He's mad." She then addressed the Hatter, "Come along."

At this, Tarrant was all too happy to switch hats. However, just as he got a good angle of it on the queen's head the courtier with large ears ran into the room. Without hesitation she hurried to Iracebeth's side and whispered into her ear. Before they knew it the Red Queen turned red and shrieked, "STAYNE!"

In a whirlwind of fury, Iracebeth jumped to her feet, the hat flying through the air, and stormed out of the room and down the hall toward the staircase that led down to the throne room; all the courtiers ran after her.

Tarrant began laughing again, looking after the doorway. "That worked out rather well," he remarked

Slowly turning back to the mirror, the Hatter gave a sigh as he saw Mirana staring back at him from where she sat in the chair. He tried to reach for her only to be stopped by his chained ankle. "Why do you like to tease me so, darling queen?"

"What is taking you so long to come to me, sweet Hatter?" the reflection chimed back with a radiant smile.

Tarrant spared but a moment's glance down at the chain, afraid Mirana would find out about it, before eyeing her sadly with shame. "Sorry, darling. Just waiting on Alice."

"Come home to me, Tarrant."

"Yes, my queen."

As the image of the White Queen faded away, Tarrant turned to the mess of hats around him. "Can't have such good work lying about like this." He then began putting the hats neatly on display again and tidied up the room. "Come on, Alice," he whispered as he paused looking around, an hand tapping anxiously against his vest pocket. "Come on already. I want to go home."


	15. Chapter 15

**Love Checks Fear**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any dialogue, characters, settings, etc. from Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking Glass," nor from Disney's animated "Alice in Wonderland," nor Disney's most recent 2010 film of "Alice in Wonderland." What very little creativity that remains is – surprisingly – mine.

**Chapter 15**

"Home?" Mallymkun cried as she entered the queen's dressing room. "Not without me you're not going home!"

The Hatter looked down at the Dormouse. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to rescue you!"

Tarrant looked up from the mouse to their surroundings. "How are you going to do that?"

"Oh, don't give me that!" Mally shouted up at the Hatter. "I'm not too small, I'm not!" She then whisked out her hatpin and ran to the lock at his ankle.

"So have you seen Alice?" Tarrant asked as Mally fought with picking the lock.

"Yes," she replied in a hurtful tone. "She took my eye."

Tarrant's eyes went wide. "Your eye?"

"Mmmmhmmm," she whimpered. "My Bandersnatch eye."

"Oh."

"And she did it in a cowardly way. She wouldn't fight me for it or anything!"

"You mean she just grabbed it from you?"

"Mmmmhmmm."

"Oh, yes," Tarrant sighed for his friend's sake. "She very much cheated."

"I don't think she's The Alice."

"Oh, Mally. She's the right Alice… The Alice… she's just different."

Mallymkun snorted at this.

"In fact, we're all a bit different now… we've all grown a bit different… the world's a different place than it once was…"

Mally said nothing to this, but continued her struggle with the hatpin.

"Stand back, Mallymkun!" a voice ordered from the doorway.

The Hatter and Dormouse turned to find Alice with the Vorpal sword.

"How's this for muchness?" she went on to ask haughtily as she brought the sword up high, ready to cut the chain that bound the Hatter.

"No! No! No!" Tarrant cried out as he moved the chain from her aim. "It mustn't be used for anything but--"

"Arrest that girl for unlawful seduction!" came the Knave's voice as he entered the room, a finger pointing at Alice. At once, soldiers began flooding into the room to take Alice away.

"Hatter!" Mallymkun shouted fearfully.

Alice changed her focus to the soldiers and pointed the sword at them.

"Take it to the White Queen!" Tarrant yelled to Alice.

"I'm not leaving without you!" she retorted.

"Go!" he yelled to her again, but she didn't move, hesitating on what exactly to do.

Seeing the soldiers approaching, Tarrant grab two bolts of fabric and flung them in their direction, knocking them to the ground.

Annoyed with this, Stayne pulled out his sword and charged at Tarrant.

In effort to help Tarrant have more flexibility to move around so he could properly defend himself, Mally lifted the chain from where a link lay on a hook. Because of this the Hatter was able to swiftly take up the full-size mannequin to block the Knave's attacks in time.

"Go!" Tarrant repeated, seeing an unsure Alice keep changing aim of the sword from the corner of his eye; but she still did not leave.

Making the most of the tools he had around him, Tarrant used the powder puff from the queen's vanity to produce powdery smoke in the air that made the Knave cough. He then took the perfume bottle and sprayed the aroma liquid into Stayne's only eye, sending him reeling backwards in pain.

Seeing Alice was still not moving even when the Hatter told her to do so, Mally shouted at her, "Run, Alice!" A split-second later, Mally covered her mouth with both hands, but the damage was done.

Stayne, able to see again, looked to the girl. "Alice?"

"RUN!" Tarrant hollered.

This time Alice listened, but with Stayne and soldiers hurrying after.

"Oh, no," the Dormouse said sorrowfully, looking at the doorway as the room became quiet.

"It's all right, Mally," Tarrant tried to soothe. "She's a smart girl. She'll escape."

Mallymkun looked up at the Hatter. "I didn't mean to, Tarrant," she said with tears in her eyes. "I honestly didn't mean to."

"Oh, sweet thing," Tarrant said, taking her in his hands as she began to cry. "You did nothing wrong. You worried about Alice getting out, so you helped her by yelling at her to run."

"But what if…" the Dormous sobbed. "What if she doesn't… she doesn't make it…"

Tarrant shook his head. "Now, I'll have none of that. Alice _will_ escape. She has the Vorpal sword on her side."

Mally didn't reply as she continued to cry.

Trying to calm her down, Tarrant placed her on a pile of soft fabrics. He then turned to the messy room. "I guess we'd better make this place look decent for the queen for I'm sure we'll be having a visit from her soon enough."

The Hatter started with putting back the perfume and powder-puff in their rightful places. He then stood the mannequin upright and set it back to where it originally stood. He next took up the bolts and began rolling up the fabric to set them to the side.

Just as he began fixing smaller details of the room, such as the pincushions and measuring tape – and just as Mallymkun finally calmed down – soldiers could be heard marching their way.

Tarrant looked up just in time to see Stayne walk in, bellowing to his soldiers, "Arrest them both for treason!"

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"Your Majesty," a maid approached the white throne. "Thackery wished to know if you wanted bread-and-butterflies in your soup."

Mirana smiled at the maid. "Only so long as they are ones that died of natural causes. Don't let him kill any for the sake of the soup."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Mirana watched the maid rush past the courtiers and out of the hall. "I suppose he could have asked for worse," she whispered to herself. "Could have asked to put oysters…"

Suddenly an announcer appeared in the open doorway at the end of the great white hall and gave a blast of his small trumpet. "White Queen of Marmoreal!" he began the moment he lowered the trumpet from his lips. "May I present to you The Alice!"

Taking quick steps to stand to the side, the announcer gestured with an open hand to a very tall young lady in a raggedy, reddish dress. With only a tiny hint of hesitation at her first steps, Mirana watched Alice walk to her with the Vorpal sword in her hands.

"The champion, the champion, the champion…" was all that ran in circles in Mirana's head. She couldn't quite think straight. This was it! This was what her kingdom needed! This was the champion that would restore all things to their rightful order! Alice! Alice! The champion! The champion!

Signaling to her nearest lady in waiting, Mirana whispered to her, "Find Absolem. Tell him that The Alice is here." A second later the lady departed to fulfill her duties.

"Welcome to Marmoreal," Mirana practically cheered, standing from her throne with a brilliant smile when Alice reached her.

"I believe this belongs to you," Alice smiled back as she held out the Vorpal sword.

Mirana looked to the sword. "The missing piece!" she could feel her heart beat as she took the weapon in her hands and set it in the hand of the champion's armor. "The Vorpal sword is home again," she proclaimed to all in the hall. "The armor is complete. Now all we need is a champion." She turned back to Alice, noticing the significant difference in size between her and the armor. "You're a little taller than I thought you'd be."

"Blame it on too much Upelkuchen," Alice replied sheepishly.

"Ah," the White Queen merrily chuckled as she offered a hand to the girl, her thoughts still chanting "the champion" over and over. "Come with me."

Mirana gracefully led Alice down deeper into the castle to the kitchen.

As they entered the white tiled room, a pot of soup smashed into the open door. Mirana licked the substance. "It could use salt," she said.

"No bread-and-butterflies," she could hear Thackery grumble. "It could use salt."

A saltshaker came flying toward Mirana but she expertly ducked in time.

"Is the March Hare here?" Alice asked following after the queen.

Mirana said nothing but gave a wave of her hand to gesture to where Thackery stood on a stool stirring what she believed to be another pot of soup.

"You're late for soup, you wee besom!"

Mirana didn't comment back to the March Hare. With her mind up in a whirl that the champion was here – that the Frabjous Day would pass victorious – she ignored him to focused on helping her champion come down to her normal size so that the armor could fit.

"Ah, pishalver," Mirana mumbled looking over a table covered in all sorts of ingredients and culinary instruments. "Let me think. A pinch of wormfat…" She placed a small pot over an open flame and then, from a little bottle, poured into the pot wormfat. "Urine of the horsefly…" She added that from another bottle. "Buttered fingers…" As she dropped a buttered finger into the pot she caught sight of Alice's disgusted face. "My sister," she addressed the girl in cool conversation, "preferred to study Dominion Over Living Things. Tell me, how does she seem to you?"

"Perfectly horrid," Alice answered honestly.

"And her head?" Mirana couldn't help to ask out of curiosity.

"Bulbous."

"I think she may have some kind of growth in there… something pressing on her brain." The White Queen paused momentarily shaking her head. She then collected some old coins to throw into the pot. "Three coins from a dead man's pocket…" She then took up a spoon to scoop up some foam from a nearby jar. "Two tablespoons of wishful thinking…"

"You can't imagine the things that go on in that place," Alice spoke up.

Mirana eyed Alice dead-on. A small thought sparked up at the back of her mind tugging for her attention upon hearing this, and yet the chants of this being her champion remained overpowering. "Oh, yes, I can. But when a champion steps forth to slay the Jabberwocky, the people will rise against her." Mirana turned her attention back to her concoction. Filling a large spoon with the mix, she sniffed it and then spit into it in effort to help it work its magic. "That should do it," she said offering the spoon to Alice. "Blow."

Alice did as she was told, blowing on it to cool it off and then slurping it up. In seconds she shrank down to a normal size next to the White Queen.

"Feel better?" Mirana asked with an eager smile.

"Much," Alice replied happily.

"Good," Mirana said ushering the girl out of the kitchen and back down the hall to the staircase in pursuit of sending her to Absolem. "There's someone here who would like to speak with you."


	16. Chapter 16

**Love Checks Fear**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any dialogue, characters, settings, etc. from Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking Glass," nor from Disney's animated "Alice in Wonderland," nor Disney's most recent 2010 film of "Alice in Wonderland." What very little creativity that remains is – surprisingly – mine.

**Chapter 16**

After showing Alice a guest bedroom for her to stay in, and giving her a change of clothes, Mirana led the girl to the moonlit garden to speak with Absolem.

As much as she wanted to overhear the conversation about the champion, she forced herself away up to her suite.

"Perfect," the queen sighed all too happy and excited about The Alice as she changed into her nightgown and crawled into bed. "The champion and the Vorpal sword… together." She laid her head on the pillow and looked out at the moon in a dreamy daze, eyes growing heavy with sleep. "Victory. Just perfect."

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Once again in the cell at the belly of the castle, Tarrant sat chained in the middle of the cold, stone floor; Mallymkun stood in a birdcage that hung from the ceiling, looking down at the poor Hatter.

"At least," she began timidly, "Alice got away."

Tarrant said nothing as he continued to stare off into space.

"The White Queen will be pleased." Mally paused, worried about her dear friend. "Right? Hatter?"

"Mmmmm," the sound came from Tarrant.

Mally's lips quivered with sadness. "We fulfilled our duties."

"Mmmmm."

The Dormouse gave a sad sigh before collecting more strength to reach out to her friend. "Don't give up, Hatter.

"Why," Tarrant whispered, eyes still focused elsewhere, "is a raven like a writing desk?"

Before Mallymkun could comment, the Knave with his soldiers appeared in what little moonlight streamed in from the windows.

"Hatter!" yelled Stayne as he banged on the iron bars of the cell.

Tarrant gave no answer, nor any acknowledgment that he noticed the man.

One of the soldiers reached out between the bars and prodded the Hatter with his truncheon. Tarrant gave no response to this.

"He's gone off the deep end," Stayne noted out loud. "Pity. It is a bore to behead a madman. No weeping, no begging…" Stayne turned around to give a show to the surrounding audience of prisoners. "Not even for his beloved White Queen will he show emotion. But that's understandable for a madman. And not to worry, dear creatures, for when your lovely queen learns of his death I shall be there at her side to comfort her for as long as she needs me--"

The Knave was cut short of his speech as Tarrant wrapped an arm around his neck and pulled him back against the iron bars.

"You," Tarrant whispered into Stayne's ear as he began choking the man, madness in his wild green eyes. "Will not. Touch. Mirana."

"You'll be a dead man," Stayne wheezed. "I can do whatever I want with her."

Tarrant squeezed harder; the Knave struggled against him until he somehow managed to slip free.

"Your head," Stayne breathed out, gasping for air, looking at the Hatter with great hatred, "comes off at dawn!" He then pointed a finger at Mally. "And that one, too!"

Tarrant simply stared back at the Knave venomously.

"Have a pleasant night for it will be your last," Stayne snorted before storming out of the prison, soldiers following after.

Once they were out of sight, the Hatter took his seat again in the middle of his cell, eyes becoming out of focus as he stared out into the darkness once more.

"Hatter," Mallymkun began to whine.

"Leave it alone," Tarrant growled in a flat tone. "Leave it alone."

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"Tarrant!" Mirana woke herself up screaming.

Abruptly she sat up in bed; face soaked with tears, her heart racing.

"What seems to be the problem, Your Highness?" Chessur's voice filled the room as his grin appeared by the window.

Mirana took the time to rub her eyes before turning back to the grin that had now grown into a cat. "Please, leave me alone, Ches."

"Oh, that's no fun," he said disappearing and then reappearing at the foot of the queen's bed.

Mirana shook her head as tears slid down her cheeks, the dream of watching the Hatter be executed swirling in her mind. She tucked her legs under her, crossed her arms, and turned her head away from the Cheshire Cat.

"You're not the only one," the stern voice of Absolem echoed in the silent room, "that has that feeling."

Mirana dropped her gaze to the blue caterpillar on the nightstand. "What?"

"I feel it, too," he puffed out after inhaling from his hookah. "It's stronger than before."

Mirana's eyes grew large with fear. "Nothing will happen to him, will it?" she panicked in a small voice. "I mean, nothing has happened to him, right? Absolem?"

The centipede smoked calmly. "The Frabjous Day is coming upon us. Everything is coming to good order once again."

Mirana choked on a sob as more tears fell freely. "Tarrant…"

"It's just a feeling," Chessur said, floating above Absolem.

Mirana looked up at him with a horrid glare. "But it's a terrible feeling – I know something's gone very wrong…" She paused before whispering a cry, "Tarrant…"

"Oh, he's perfectly fine," the tabby cat purred as he evaporated.

Mirana unhappily looked back down at Absolem.

"Calm yourself," he reprimanded, exhaling rings.

"Tarrant will be there on the Frabjous Day, won't he?"

Absolem merely puffed out, "A, E, I, O, U…"

"Won't he?" Mirana nearly yelled.

The caterpillar gave the queen a most irritated look. "Do you not know The Mad Hatter?"

"Yes, but…"

"Believe in him!"

"But, Absolem, I still worry that--"

"Believe in him!"

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

After several minutes of watching the Hatter retying his tie, making sure the cuffs of his coat were properly buttoned, and – now – dusting off his hat as it sat in his lap, Mallymkun finally spoke up, "What are you doing?"

"Trying to look my best for the execution."

Mally did a double take. "What?"

"When word reaches…" he couldn't say her name. "I want the story to be known that I looked my best all the way until the final moment."

"Final moment?" Chessur appeared a foot away at Tarrant's eyelevel.

"Hello, Chessur," Tarrant greeted.

"What final moment?"

"Mally and I are to be beheaded at dawn."

Chessur's grin shrank. "Oh, my! The feeling was spot on."

The Hatter looked to the cat suspiciously. "What feeling?" He paused as a thought struck him. "_Whose_ feeling?"

"No one's. Forget that I even mentioned anything."

"Ches," Tarrant's eyes began to turn dark green. "If it's Mirana, you had better tell me right now!"

Chessur shifted his eyes, obviously trying to decide what to do.

"Tell me, Ches. What feeling did she have?"

The Cheshire Cat frowned and turned himself upside down. "She said she had a terrible feeling that something had gone very wrong with you." The cat opened his paws to gesture at their surroundings. "Clearly she was spot on."

Tarrant dropped his gaze to the stone floor. "Oh, my darling, Mirana…" he barely whispered.

Not wanting to linger on the subject any more, Chessur turned right-side up and grinned maniacally as he eyed Tarrant's hat. "I've always admired that hat," he said floating near it.

Tarrant suddenly took it in both hands and held it tightly.

"Since you won't be needing it anymore would you consider bequeathing it to me?"

"How dare you!" Tarrant snapped at the cat. "It is a formal execution. I want to look my best, you know."

Chessur looked up at the Dormouse for a moment, who shook her head sadly, before addressing Tarrant again. "It's a pity about all this. I was looking forward to seeing you Futterwacken."

"I was rather good at it, was I not?" the Hatter reminisced with a small smile. "Mirana thought so. She always loved to watch me…"

"I really do love that hat," Chessur chimed in again. "I would wear it to all the finest occasions."

Tarrant eyed the tabby cat carefully as an idea began to spin in his head. "To all the finest occasions you say?"

Chessur perked up at the change in Tarrant. "Yes, Hatter. Even to an execution…"


	17. Chapter 17

**Love Checks Fear**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any dialogue, characters, settings, etc. from Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking Glass," nor from Disney's animated "Alice in Wonderland," nor Disney's most recent 2010 film of "Alice in Wonderland." What very little creativity that remains is – surprisingly – mine.

**Chapter 17**

After a pleasant morning's walk through the gardens, Mirana entered the castle in pursuit of the great hall for tea with Thackery. However, as she took around a corner to another corridor, she caught sight of a very sad Alice seated at a window.

"Good heavens, child," the White Queen hurried to her champion. "What's troubling you?"

Alice drew her face away from the window, tears in her eyes. "I'm worried about the Hatter."

An arrow pierced Mirana's heart. _He gave himself up for her. She diverted from the path to save him._ "Tarrant Hightopp?" the queen managed to ask, holding her smile perfectly in place.

"I don't know what's become of him," Alice sniffled before looking back out the window. "When I left, I heard that your sister ordered his execution."

Mirana's breath caught in her throat as a second arrow pierced her heart. _I have a terrible feeling something has gone very wrong._ "Not to worry, my dear," Mirana recollected herself smoothly without Alice noticing. "The Hatter is very resourceful. He'll find a way out."

Alice gave a sad nod, eyes set on the rolling hills along the horizon. Mirana gave a gentle sigh and then glided away to the throne room with a broken smile.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Tarrant watched Chessur and Mallymkun, with their escort of soldiers, exit to the execution courtyard. Minutes before, as he and the Dormouse entered the last of the dark shadows of the dungeon before turning into a the brightly lit red corridor, he and the Cheshire Cat switched places, the hat now being on the imposing Tarrant marching out to his doom. After releasing the other prisoners, Tarrant took to the stairs to the viewing balcony that held the queen, her knave, and the courtiers.

"Ah, there they are!" Tarrant heard the Red Queen cry out happily as he reached the top of the stairs. "Oh, how I wish my sister was here to see this!"

"Not to worry, my queen," the Knave reassured sweetly. "I will deliver the news to her personally the moment all is done here."

Tarrant's eyes began to churn into a dark green as he grew closer to them with every quiet step he took down the hallway.

"Excellent," Iracebeth's voice cheered, then after a pause said, "I love a morning execution. Don't you?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," came the chorus of her courtiers.

Tarrant slid behind the red drapes nearest the queen alongside the opening of the balcony.

"I tell you, Stayne," Tarrant listened in on the queen's conversation. "Wouldn't it be most enjoyable to see the look on Mirana's face right now?"

"It most certainly would, Your Majesty," Stayne replied easily.

"I could just see her now with her weeping and crying," Iracebeth mocked. "What a pitiful, weak little thing she is. And all for a hatter!"

"Yes, it doesn't have any sense at all, my queen."

"For having a _normal_ head, you'd think she wouldn't be drawn to such odd creatures like that mad man."

"And yet she is."

Tarrant's eyes grew darker. He knew what Stayne was thinking… the Knave – being oddly elongated – considered himself to be an odd creature Mirana would be drawn to.

"It's terrible. And they all fall in love with her, too."

"Sickening, the whole thing is sickening."

"For once in her life she needs to see the chessboard of life as it really is," Iracebeth lectured on. "Fear checks love every time."

"Yes it does, Your Majesty," the courtiers agreed in unison.

"It does indeed," she repeated. "Check mate, baby sister."

Suddenly a trumpet could be heard. "Majesty the Red Queen of Underland," the announcement went. "This morning's execution will be that of the Mad Hatter, Tarrant Hightopp, and the Dormouse, Mallymkun. Both for treason."

"Proceed!" Iracebeth yelled.

Tarrant nearly held his breath as the entire place fell silent; the only sounds were that of the clinking chains that bound his imposter's hands and feet together.

"Off with his head!" Iracebeth cried out once more.

A moment later the sound of the execution's blade hitting the stone echoed throughout the plaza and into the castle.

"What?" the queen gasped. "What is this? Stayne!"

"Good morning, everyone!" Tarrant heard Chessur greet the crowd, this was his cue.

Breaking out into maniacal laughter, Tarrant rushed around the Red Queen's chair to appear at her side. "Madam," he addressed her gleefully, eyes back to their natural bright green. "You are being heinously bamboozled by these lickspittle toadies you surround yourself with!" The Hatter reached out to the courtier nearest him – the woman with large ears – and lightly pulled one off, showing it then to Iracebeth.

"What is that?" she demanded before looking to the woman.

The courtier frantically protested, "I'm not the only one, Majesty. Look!" She then pulled off the long nose of the woman next to her.

"A counterfeit nose!" cried the man with the large belly. "You should be ashamed!"

"Me?" the woman with the false nose snapped. "What about that big belly you're so proud of?"

Tarrant silently watched the courtiers all turn on each other; the Red Queen growing very angry.

"Liars! Cheats! Falsifiers!" she shouted. "Off with their heads!"

At that moment, Tarrant leapt up onto the railing of the balcony and called to all those who came to watch the execution. "To the abused and enslaved of the Red Queen's court! Stand up and fight! Rise up against the bloody Red Queen!"

Tarrant watched as the crowd quickly came into agreement with him and gained excitement and momentum to act against Iracebeth. "Downal with Bluddy Begh Hid!" they chanted. "Downal with Bluddy Behg Hid!"

With a grin, Tarrant grabbed a hold of a flagpole and slid down it to join the crowd.

"RELEASE THE JUBJUB BIRD!" the Red Queen screamed at the top of her lungs.

A second later an enormous black-and-white bird flew over the execution plaza. The crowd broke into complete chaos.

"Come boys," Tarrant called to the Tweedles as they hid in a doorway, Dodo and McTwisp ahead of him with Bielle and her pups.

Hesitantly both Tweedledee and Tweedledum followed Tarrant.

"Hatter!" Mallymkun cried hiding under the execution stone.

"Come on, Mally!" Tarrant called, holding out his hands ready to catch her when she jumped. "Quickly! Come on! Come on!"

Despite clearly being scared, Mally jumped into Tarrant's hands.

Altogether, with McTwisp in the lead, Dodo, Bielle and her pups, the Tweedles, Mallymkun, and Tarrant escaped the confines of Crims and hurried southeastward to Marmoreal.


	18. Chapter 18

**Love Checks Fear**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any dialogue, characters, settings, etc. from Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking Glass," nor from Disney's animated "Alice in Wonderland," nor Disney's most recent 2010 film of "Alice in Wonderland." What very little creativity that remains is – surprisingly – mine.

**Chapter 18**

For the remainder of the day Mirana left Alice to sulk at the window, too heart broken to visit further with her. By nightfall, she was on the western balcony looking at the stars, hoping with all her might that not all was lost.

"We can only hope for the best," the queen said to her bloodhound companion. "Right?"

Bayard gave a sad nod. "We can only hope."

"May I join you?" came Alice's voice from behind.

Mirana momentarily pursed her lips before replacing it with a pleasant smile as she turned around. "Of course, dear."

"Any luck?"

The White Queen's brows came together. "What do you mean?"

Alice came to a stop at Mirana's side, eyes on her hands holding the balcony railing. "I mean… have you seen anyone come this way?"

"Oh," Mirana couldn't help but pat the girl's hands. "Not yet, dear."

Alice leaned over the railing, her chin in her hand, eyes on the horizon. "What's taking him so long?"

Mirana briefly closed her eyes, fighting off her emotions. "I had hoped," she forced herself to say instead, hinting at the obvious, "to have a champion by now."

Alice looked up at the queen. "Why don't you slay the Jabberwocky yourself? You must have the power."

"In the healing arts," Mirana said after quickly shaking off an appalled look. "It is against my vows to bring harm to any living creature."

Alice said nothing to this, but simply gave a shrug before looking back out across the land.

Slightly annoyed with her reply, Mirana turned to the horizon as well; just in time to see something move. Her heart skipped a beat as she twirled around and took up her spyglass; it was _him_.

"We have company," was all Mirana could manage herself to say before kindly handing the spyglass to Alice. She then took off back into the castle and down the flight of stairs. In seconds she heard Alice and Bayard hurrying behind her.

"Tarrant, Tarrant, Tarrant," Mirana found herself breathing as she exited the palace's main entrance, down the steps to the formal entry courtyard.

The Hatter was not but several yards away, still holding hands with the Tweedles, eyes focused on them, helping them make it in one piece.

"White Queen!" McTwisp and the Dodo exclaimed gratefully when they met her.

"So very good to see you both!" Mirana cheered. Her eye then caught sight of something small run up toward her. "Mallymkun!"

The Dormouse ran up to the Dodo, jumped on his back and climbed up onto the bird's head to be at a better height. "I've come to you, Your Majesty! And I'm ready to fight for you!"

Mirana chuckled. "That's very courageous of you, Mally! Thank you."

McTwisp, the Dodo, and Mallymkun were jumping with joy at her side when Bayard appeared, running to be reunited with Bielle and their pups. The joy that elated from the others swiftly came over the queen, however just as she began to take a leap forward to run to Tarrant, Alice – at a full speed run – bypassed her. Mirana only locked eyes with Tarrant for a split-second before Alice, throwing her arms around the man's neck, blocked her view. The queen came to a dead stop.

Leaving the Hatter to Alice, the Tweedles wobbled their way over to Mirana. Not wanting to disappoint them she widened her plastered smile and gave each of them a kiss on the forehead, welcoming them back home.

"We've missed you," Tweedledee said to her.

"I've missed you, too, boys."

The Tweedles grinned at this before walking away.

"So much better than the Red Queen," Mirana heard one of them remark as they made their way to go inside the castle.

"Oh, yes, much, much better."

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Tarrant looked to the blue eyes before him with confusion, and frustrated that he could not see past her, for he had only a glimpse of Mirana.

"I'm so happy to see you!" Alice cried.

Tarrant forced himself to pay attention to what the girl was saying.

"I thought they were going to--"

"Oh! So did I!" he cut in with a genuine laugh, for it was true, he was so very thankful to be alive. "But they didn't!"

Though a tear still slipped down her face, Alice laughed with him.

"And now, here I am…" he said slightly distracted as he struggled to look around Alice's head to no avail. "Still in one piece… and I'm rather glad about that now that I'm seeing… Mirrrr…" He tried harder to look for the queen but without being completely rude to Alice it was quite impossible. "Uh… seeing you. I would have regretted not seeing… Mirrr… you again… Mirrrr… Mirrr… Mmmm…"

"Hatter!" Alice called, snapping the man out of his murmurings.

"I'm fine," he replied in a tight voice, eyes looking back to the girl.

Alice let go of Tarrant and took a step back. "Where's your hat?"

Tarrant's eyes went wide. But as if the hat heard them, it appeared at their side. A second later so did the Cheshire Cat that held it.

"Chessur?" Alice laughed.

"How's the arm?" the cat purred, floating by.

"All healed," she replied showing him the proof.

Satisfied, Chessur grinned madly before willingly handing the hat to Tarrant. "Good-bye, sweet hat."

Tarrant smirked at this, placing the hat upon his head.

As Alice stepped to the side, letting Cheshire float by until he vanished altogether, Tarrant took the opportunity to look to Mirana, but she wasn't there.

"Where…?" he began to ask.

Alice giggled. "Where's what?"

"Not a what, a who."

Alice scrunched up her nose. "A who?"

Tarrant looked to Bayard, the only other one, with his family, still outside, McTwisp, the Dodo, Mally, and the Tweedles were gone, too. "Where did she go?"

Bayard looked up from playing with his pups. "Don't know, Tarrant. I imagine she went inside. It's getting late."

"Who is it you're looking for?" Alice curiously asked.

The Hatter's eyes became wild. "My Mirana," he mumbled, as his eyes roamed all over the courtyard anxiously before settling on the castle doors. "Mirana."

"Mirana? I haven't heard of any Mirana here."

Without another word to Alice, Tarrant shot off into the white palace. Coming across the first set of guards he asked if they had seen the White Queen. They merely answered that she had gone up to her suite.

Like the mad man he was, Tarrant rushed up the stairs taking two steps at a time and ran down the main corridor until he reached the double-doors to the queen's chamber.

"My darling queen," he said gently as his hand took the handle, expecting to walk in to see her. However, to his surprise, he found it locked.

He knocked on the door a few times. "White Queen?" he called lovingly.

"It's been a long day, Tarrant," came Mirana's flat voice through the door. "I'm quite tired. I'll see you in the morning."

"In the morning?" Tarrant repeated to himself. He then snapped out of the confusion. "No!" he yelled as he furiously began pushing against the door, fighting with the handle. "I've waited long enough! I've followed through with your orders!"

A heavy sigh came from the other side. "What do you want, Tarrant?"

"What do I want?" Tarrant shouted back flabbergasted. "I want you!"

"What about Alice?"

Tarrant stopped shoving against the door and blinked a few times. "What are you talking about?"

"You gave yourself up to the Knave for _her_," Mirana replied plainly.

Bright emerald eyes instantly turning to a deep, dark green, Tarrant took a step back and kicked open one of the doors.

"For Alice?" he bellowed as he stepped into the large suite, eyeing the back of Mirana at the far left in the reading area by the table full of broken glassware as she leaned against one of the doorways that led to the balcony. "You can't be serious!"

"Mother was right!" Mirana roared, her back still to him. "There is no answer! A raven is not like a writing desk!"

"Now, you listen to me! I gave myself up to the Knave so Alice could come to you! Those were _your_ orders for me. I gave myself up for _you_ – not Alice!"

The White Queen suddenly swiveled around to face the Hatter; her eyes completely black, her right hand holding the neck of a glass bottle – its broken, jagged end pointed at him.

"It's been too long, Tarrant!" she nearly screamed at him. "How do I know this is true?"

Tarrant's dark eyes snapped to a sea green as his anger was immediately replaced with incredible worry.

"Mirana," he began calmly, eyes focused on her as he removed his hat and placed it on a nearby desk. "Mirana, please. My queen. Don't go dark on me, darling."

"The whole world's gone dark!" the queen bit back with a fierce temper. "Love is nowhere to be found! My courtiers, maids, loyalists all stay with me out of fear of Iracebeth!" With a strong force, Mirana threw the bottle she held at Tarrant, whom, thanks to experience with Thackery, ducked in time. Mirana grabbed another large shard of glass from the table, aiming it at the Hatter once more as she took a few steps toward him.

"Now hold up there, Mirana," Tarrant tried to argue in a soft manner with his hands held up in front of him as they started to circle each other. "I wanted to stay remember?"

Mirana said nothing; black eyes fully fixed on the man in front of her.

"But I didn't because you ordered me not to," Tarrant went on as Mirana came closer to him. "And I said I'd return – here I am!"

Mirana shook her head violently. "But it's been too long!"

"I've never stopped loving you--!"

"You lie!" the queen shrieked as she ran what little space remained between them and brought the jagged edge of the glass to the Hatter's throat. "Off with your head!"

"Mirana, come back to me," Tarrant reasoned evenly, not showing any fear. "This is not you. Remember your vows?" He paused before giving in to saying the one very hurtful thing he knew to always get her full attention. "You're acting like your sister."

Mirana blinked several times until her eyes slowly returned to their normal brown color. "No, no, no…" she said with pain as light started shining through the brown of her eyes. "I'm not like my sister." She stepped back and loosened her grip on the shard of glass, causing it to fall from her hand. "My sister is dark and cruel and…" She looked to her bleeding right hand. "And red." She collapsed to the floor in shock and confusion.

Tarrant immediately grabbed the pink kerchief from his pocket and wrapped it around the queen's hand before the blood could stain anything white. He then took a seat on the floor before her. Mirana's gaze, however, was lost elsewhere.

"Mirana… speak to me."

Slowly the White Queen turned her gaze to the Hatter's face; the far away look gradually disappearing. "Have I gone mad?"

Tarrant gave a small, sad smile. "I'm afraid so. You're entirely bonkers." He paused, gently caressing her cut hand. "But I'll tell you a secret… so am I."

Mirana gave a genuine smile at hearing this. "Is that why a raven is like a writing desk?"

"It's certainly something we both have in common."

Then, as she suddenly saw him clearly for the first time, the White Queen cried out in a sorrowful voice, "Oh, Tarrant!" as she leaned forward and brushed her fingertips along his bruised cheek. "What happened to you?"

Tarrant broke into a smile and laughed in relief that Mirana was back to her normal self. "Nothing, darling raven."

Mirana moved her eyes from scanning the side of his face to lock with his emerald ones. "It was Stayne, wasn't it?"

Tarrant put his hand atop hers as it lingered at his sore cheek and took hold of it, bringing down to her lap. "It's over now, darling."

Tears began to fill Mirana's eyes. "I'm so sorry," she choked on the whisper. "I'm so--"

Tarrant didn't let her speak any more as he swiftly in one move reached out to softly grasp the sides of her face so that his lips embraced hers.

Mirana responded affectionately as she wrapped her hands around his neck and pulled him even closer.

"Wait," she said, breaking the kiss.

"What is it?" Tarrant whispered.

Mirana had a hand toying with his orange hair. "What happened to you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Your hair… it's much shorter than I remember… no longer at your shoulders… and sticks out in a peculiar way…"

"Oh, that," Tarrant laughed, though his eyes seemed to tell a different story. He dismissed the question with the simple truth. "That's from going mad."

Mirana gave the Hatter a very concerned look, thinking only of the Knave. "Going mad? Over what?"

Tarrant leaned in so that their foreheads touched. "Over you."

Mirana relaxed at this and gave a small giggle before Tarrant reclaimed her lips once more; a blissful reunion at last.


	19. Chapter 19

**Love Checks Fear**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any dialogue, characters, settings, etc. from Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking Glass," nor from Disney's animated "Alice in Wonderland," nor Disney's most recent 2010 film of "Alice in Wonderland." What very little creativity that remains is – surprisingly – mine.

**Chapter 19**

"Oh, how I've missed you," Tarrant whispered between heated kisses before sliding his hands from her face down and around to her back. He then pulled her even closer in effort to deepen their passionate kissing. However, just as Mirana wrapped her arms tighter around his neck and gave way to lean her body completely against his, a pain shot through Tarrant's chest. He tried with all his might to ignore it, but that only lasted seconds; he broke the kiss with a wince of pain.

"What is it?" Mirana immediately asked with great concern as she looked at the Hatter's distorted expression, a hand now holding the side of his ribs. "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing," Tarrant tried to dismiss as he slowed his breathing back to normal.

Realization struck the White Queen. "He did this to you, too, didn't he?" she whispered as her eyes began turning black. "He beat you, didn't he?"

"Who?"

"I'll hang him from the High Tower… or poison him with the Dead Man's Tea… or cut off his head with his own sword…"

"Mirana!" Tarrant yelled to the queen as he grabbed her shoulders and shook her until her eyes came back to brown.

"What?" she asked, slightly confused.

Tarrant sighed. "It's not that bad. Honestly."

In a flash Mirana's eyes were black again. "Not that bad?" She then pointed a finger at the white chaise lounge. "Stand up and go sit over there!"

Tarrant's brows knitted together. "Why?"

"Because I said so."

Tarrant wondered at this for a moment. "No."

"I can help heal your wounds."

"I'm not really all that wounded."

Mirana's eyes softened to a dark brown as she reached up a hand to carress alongside the Hatter's bruised cheek. However, about halfway down she stopped and poked his cheek instead.

"Ow!"

The White Queen went on to poke Tarrant's chest and stomach.

"Ow! Ow! Stop that!"

"I knew it!" Mirana spat, eyes going black once more. "Get up on that chaise!"

"No!"

"Tarrant!"

"But I'm already so comfortable on the floor."

The queen snorted at this. "You _are_ a writing desk."

Tarrant couldn't help in smiling though she was clearly not joking with him. "Well, aren't you comfortable on the floor, too?"

Mirana tilted her head as she stared into the green eyes of the Hatter before silently standing and walking away.

"Wait!" he called to her, painfully trying to stand. "Where are you going?"

Mirana gave no answer as she took a stand at the open doorway and beckoned two of the guards from down the hall to assist her.

"What are you doing? I'm perfectly fine, Mira--" Tarrant cut himself off as another shot of immense pain came from his side with what also sounded like a crackling.

Mirana looked over her shoulder at him with an almost dark glare. "No, you are _not_ perfectly fine."

Tarrant said nothing more at the moment as he forced himself to breathe through gritted teeth.

"Yes, my queen?" came one of the guards.

"_My_ queen," seethed Tarrant madly.

Mirana ignored the Hatter. "Gentlemen," she addressed the soldiers. "Could you please help my poor hatter onto the chaise lounge over there? He's just returned from a dangerous mission and is in a weak state."

"I am not weak!"

Mirana bent closer to the guards and added in a whisper. "He refuses to admit the wounds from his battle."

The guards nodded in understanding.

"If need be, you have my permission to drag him to the chaise. But be gentle with him for he appears to have cracked some ribs."

With another nod, the men proceeded into the room toward Tarrant.

"I don't need help!" the Hatter protested angrily, slowly stepping away from the on-coming guards. "I'm perfectly capable of walking on my own--!"

In one swift movement the soldiers had each taken an arm of the orange-haired man and carefully pulled him along to the reading area. Then, before he could yet put out another word, they sat him on the chaise lounge, swinging his legs over the length of it so that he laid on it properly.

"Now keep him there for a moment while I prepare this…" Mirana said, slightly distracted as she searched about the table for the Bunsen burner, a beaker, and the key ingredients.

"This is all rather ridiculous, Mir--" Tarrant began to scoff unconvincingly but suddenly remembering the guards changed to say, "my queen."

"Not, it's not," Mirana replied plainly as she boiled different odd ends together.

"What are you doing, anyway?" Tarrant asked with a hint of irritation as he tried to look sideways past the guards.

"Just trust me."

Tarrant snorted at this, turning his head away from the woman in white.

"Patience is necessary for the crown," one of the guards whispered down to Tarrant.

"I suggest you start practicing that now, sir," the guard added.

"After all the queen is a delicate creature."

The Hatter looked up at the men curiously. "The crown?"

"The people like a monarch with patience."

Tarrant blinked at this; the immediate thought of Iracebeth's screaming, "I'm not a patient monarch!" coming to mind.

"Why are you telling me this? I am not a monarch."

"Maybe not right now," the first guard admitted in a hush tone.

"But hopefully after the Frabjous Day--"

"Here we are!" Mirana broke in with a sing-song voice. Apparantly the process of making the potion calmed her down – eyes back to their normal brown, even her lips curled up in a small smile. "Drink this," she said holding out a little glass to Tarrant.

"What's in it?"

"Never mind what's in it. The important thing is that it'll help you recover immediately."

Tarrant eyed the green-gray goop skeptically.

"Just drink it!"

"But, Mir—my queen, look at the col--"

Catching him with an open mouth, Mirana shoved the thick liquid down his throat.

"Ugh!" Tarrant coughed. "That was awful!"

After setting the glass on a nearby table, Mirana turned to her guards. "Thank you, gentlemen. That'll be all."

The soldiers gave a pleasant and knowing smile, a small bow, and then left the room.

Once they were out, Mirana ran to shut and lock the double-doors. She then pivoted right back around and marched straight to Tarrant. "What did Stayne do to you?"

Tarrant furrowed his brow, clearly unhappy, and began moving his legs to hang over the side so that he could sit up and possibly walk away. "Mirana, it's over--"

"No!" Mirana yelled as she blocked his attempt to stand. "Tell me what happened!"

Tarrant's dark green eyes stared up at the queen. "It's not for your ears to hear."

Mirana crossed her arms, her eyes becoming a smoldering charcoal. "Is it really that I _shouldn't_ know what happened to you? Or is it that you _don't want _me to know what happened to you?"

Tarrant looked on defiantly, his voice on the verge of Outlandish. "Does it matter?"

In reply to this, Mirana grabbed the glass she had fed the Hatter with and hurled it all the way across the full length of her suite; shattering it against the far off wall to the left of her bed. "Of course it matters! You matter to me!"

"But see what it's doing to you!" Tarrant argued. "Just the hint at what might have happened is turning you dark!"

"I don't care! I have the right to know! I am your queen!"

"And what will you do, majesty, with this knowledge? Will you break your vows? Kill Stayne? And be left to ruin for not being the queen you claim to be? No longer being the Queen for Life?"

Mirana gave no answer.

"Stayne is mine to deal with. Mine to kill."

"But in your condition--!"

"I will end him!" Tarrant snapped in an almost rude manner, Outlandish accent extremely apparent. "I am not so weak! I have skills to match any knight in this kingdom and you know it!"

Mirana shut her mouth in surprise.

"Honestly, Mirana! What has happened to you? Where is your faith in me?"

Mirana said nothing, her black eyes merely staring back at the Hatter.

"And this darkness from within you needs to come to an end once and for all! I know it's in your blood, but you are not your sister! I haven't said a word but since the passing of your parents that darkness has grown! You don't see it, but I do! And it obviously has gotten worse since we've parted! I've never seen you like this, Mirana! Turning dark in the blink of an eye! And then remaining so! What happened between Stayne and me is to remain between Stayne and me! I will take care of that situation! Believe me! I will see that to the end!"

The White Queen shook with anger, her eyes, surprisingly, back to their normal soft brown. However, when she spoke her voice sounded heart-breaking. "Is there no revenge for love?"

Tarrant's eyes lightened a bit before churning to that of a sad sea-green. "Not for you, my darling queen, for you have your love right here." He paused, reaching for Mirana and pulling her onto his lap. "I'm right here. You need nothing more than that. I'm right here."

"Please don't ever leave me again," Mirana whispered as she rested her head on Tarrant's shoulder staring at her fidgety hands in her lap. "Even if I order you to do so."

Though she couldn't see him, Tarrant smiled at this. "You mean you promise to let me be at your side for always, and to let me protect you when I see it fit to do so, despite your opinion?"

"Yes."

"Truly?"

"Yes."

"Where's a pen and parchment… we should sign off on this in writing."

A giggle came from queen.

"And, do you promise to always be forever at my side?"

"Of course, Tarrant. Forever."

The Hatter's smile widened. He then gave a cough, as if clearing his throat, as a distraction as he snuck a hand to his vest pocket and pulled out a little lavender oyster.

"What's this?" Mirana asked as she took notice of the object Tarrant set in her lap, between her hands.

"Open it," he said simply.

Sitting up a bit straighter in his lap, Mirana opened the little oyster; inside was a radiant white-gold engagement ring with a brilliant white diamond.

"I meant to give this to you the day after the celebration of your anniversary… that is, the day you were to give the announcement of your decision for king."

"It's beautiful…"

Tarrant chuckled as he took the ring out of the shell and began to slide it down her left hand's ring finger. "But what is your answer?"

Mirana looked up into the Hatter's eyes. "What is the question?"

This made Tarrant laugh. "Though I'm no more than a humble servant and common hatter of the queen's court, I have a heart's desire to inquire whether her majesty would have me as her chosen king…" He then added with a smirk, "and love of her life?"

Mirana broke into a genuine smile. "Yes!"

Tarrant laughed all the more as the ring came to a stop in its rightful place. Then, before he could say another word, Mirana wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, her lips eagerly meeting his.


	20. Chapter 20

**Love Checks Fear**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any dialogue, characters, settings, etc. from Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking Glass," nor from Disney's animated "Alice in Wonderland," nor Disney's most recent 2010 film of "Alice in Wonderland." What very little creativity that remains is – surprisingly – mine.

**Chapter 20**

As Mirana thoroughly enjoyed being with her beloved Hatter once again, her quickened heartbeat forced the pace of her mind's thinking to speed up greatly. At first her mind was set on the moment at hand with a mix of the painful past in waiting for Tarrant. However, in a split second her mind jumped to what the future held – primarily wanting to zoom in on the fact that she was to finally marry – but there was a problem.

"Wait," Mirana broke off the kissing, a hand pressed against the mad man's chest.

Tarrant blinked his bright green eyes in confusion at the queen on his lap. "What?"

"We can't," she breathed quietly, more to herself and the racing thoughts clouding her mind.

Tarrant eyed Mirana carefully. "We can't, what?" Then a thought struck him. "Oh!" He quickly sat up straighter and somehow attempted to make some distance between them despite her sitting on his lap.

Realizing what he meant, Mirana gave him an irritable glare before standing up.

"What?" Tarrant asked, all the more confused. "What did I do?"

Mirana shook her head, not wanting to fight with him again. "Tomorrow," she merely replied. "Tomorrow's the Frabjous Day."

"And…?"

The White Queen looked down at the Hatter with wide eyes. "And?" she cried. "I don't have a champion!"

"What do you mean? I'm right here!"

"No, no! I mean Alice!"

Tarrant remembered back to when he was last with his queen looking over the Oraculum. "Oh."

"What am I going to do?"

Tarrant snapped out of his thoughts and stood next to Mirana. "But she's here. What's the problem?"

The White Queen's lips began to crumble into a pout. "She doesn't want to be my champion… or any champion for that matter. She says she can't slay the Jabberwocky."

Tarrant suddenly remembered speaking with Alice about this at the beginning of their journey from Thackery's house. "Where is she?"

Mirana's tearful eyes met the Hatter's. "What?"

Tarrant grabbed the queen's shoulders. "Where is Alice? Let me speak to her. Now."

Mirana momentarily lost her voice as she felt herself torn between the present truth of his love for her and the jealous lies of the recent past. "Alice? I'm not sure."

Tarrant released his fiancée and took up his hat upon his head once more as he made his way to the door. "I'll be right back, my darling queen."

After a long time of roaming the castle and asking every guard he came across whether they had seen the girl, Tarrant finally discovered Alice leaning on the railing of one of the balconies looking out at the moonlit mountains and waterfalls. Not wanting to scare her, he removed his hat and slowly approached her right side asking, "Have you any idea why a raven is like a writing desk?"

Alice grinned up at the Hatter. "Let me think about it," she teased.

Tarrant shook his head. "You know what tomorrow is, don't you?"

Alice's grin turned upside down and she averted her eyes to the landscape once more. "Frabjous Day. How could I forget?"

Tarrant mirrored her frown. "Will you not be the queen's champion?"

Alice stood up straight, looking at the Hatter. "No. I told you before, same as I have told everyone else since the moment I arrived here: I cannot slay!" With that said, she walked away to a different part of the railing.

Tarrant simply followed. "But why can't you?"

Alice narrowed her eyes. "Why can't _you_?"

"I am not the one destined to be the bearer of the Vorpal. _You_ are."

"No, I'm not."

"Yes, you are. The Oraculum says-"

"The Oraculum is wrong!"

The Hatter stared at Alice, mouth agape.

"This is _my_ dream! _I'm_ the one in charge not some old scroll I dreamt up!"

Tarrant's brows came together as he continued to stare. "You still believe this is a dream, do you?"

"Of course. This has all come from my own mind."

Tarrant pondered on this for a good moment. "Which would mean that I'm not real."

"I'm afraid so," Alice sighed. "You're just a figment of my imagination. I would dream up someone who's half mad."

Tarrant chuckled softly. "Yes, yes, but you would have to be half mad to dream me up."

"I must be, then."

"So, then tell me," he started seriously again, "why did you dream for such bad things to happen, with the Red Queen and all?"

"I don't know… I mean, I don't remember dreaming that part up at all."

Tarrant's frown deepened. "And of tomorrow?"

Alice dropped her gaze.

"What will you dream up so that the Jabberwocky will be slayed and the crown returned to the White Queen?"

"I… I don't know."

"Alice," Tarrant began gently. "We all need you, Alice. You're the champion… the only one who can save us all."

"I'm sorry." Alice shook her head and slowly backed away into the castle. "I wish I'd wake up from this dream."

This time Tarrant didn't follow her and instead waited a few more seconds looking up at the twinkling stars. "Oh, Mirana," he exhaled. "What _are_ we going to do?"

"Just wait a bit longer," came Absolum's voice from the nearby wall. Tarrant looked among the ivy leaves until he found the blue centipede. "She's only Almost Alice."

"But we don't have time to wait, Absolum."

"Correction, _you_ don't have Time," the caterpillar snapped, little rings of smoke accompanying his voice. "Alice will be Alice soon enough."

"But tomorrow's the Frabjous Day!"

Absolum inhaled from his hookah slowly and then breathed out, plainly stating, "Yes."

Tarrant rolled his eyes before turning away from the tiny creature. As he climbed the stairs toward the royal suite, he wondered why Absolum, for speaking so clearly, couldn't make sense; and then there were the thoughts of what would become of Mirana when he told her Alice's reaction. "If only," he sighed as he reached the queen's door, "it was as simple as a riddle."


	21. Chapter 21

**Love Checks Fear**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any dialogue, characters, settings, etc. from Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking Glass," nor from Disney's animated "Alice in Wonderland," nor Disney's most recent 2010 film of "Alice in Wonderland." What very little creativity that remains is – surprisingly – mine.

**Chapter 21**

Once the Hatter had left, Mirana – finding herself yawning one too many times and discovering the late hour – forced herself to a change of clothes, hoping that being settled in her nightgown would help her unwind quickly. This was of no use, of course; once in her nightgown she found herself shaking, for after all sleeping only meant the Frabjous Day was that much closer. In an attempt to make her body stay still, the queen huddled in a tight ball in the armchair opposite the door.

"Tarrant!" she gasped as the mad man entered the room, shutting the door behind him. "What news have you-?" She stopped mid-question as Tarrant gave her an apologetic look.

"I couldn't convince her," he began quietly, removing his hat and setting it on the nearest table. "She doesn't believe that any of this is real… that any of us are real."

"But-"

A grumble came from deep within Tarrant's chest as he said in his thick outlandish accent, "She won't slay."

Mirana's nerves got the better of her and she could no longer keep her body still. As she rose to her feet, tears apparent in her eyes, she gave a thin smile and replied, "Very well." She then quickly glided out onto the balcony.

Tarrant closed his eyes momentarily as he took a deep breath. He then walked after her but stopped within the doorway. "One moment, Mirana," he called to her gently, his eyes taking in her sparkling figure as her white hair and gown glittered in the moonlight. She turned to him. "Absolum said to wait a bit longer, that Alice will soon be Alice."

The White Queen shook her head before looking out to the gardens below once more. "Soon isn't soon enough," she stated plainly and then added with a sad sigh, "My poor kingdom."

Tarrant frowned at this but then shook his head to snap out of the hopelessness. "No," he said as he rushed to the queen, wrapping his arms around her and bringing his lips to her right ear. "A champion _will_ come."

Mirana said nothing to this and so the two stood for a moment in silence.

"Now," Tarrant's whispering voice broke into the air, "it has been quite a day and tomorrow will be more trying." The Hatter then spun the queen within his arms so that they faced one another. "So," he went on with a kiss to her hands. "Off to bed with you, darling queen."

Not allowing her to protest, Tarrant guided Mirana back into the suite and straight to her bed. There he let her go, took a step to the side, and held back the covers in a gesture for her to lie down.

"But-"

"Shh. No more, Mirana."

With a heavy sigh, the White Queen got up onto the mattress and her Hatter tucked her in.

"Sleep well, my queen," he said gently as he kissed her dark lips goodnight. He then turned away to return once more to the chaise lounge.

However, as he laid down and shifted about, trying to get comfortable, he found that he could not sleep: constant thoughts, ideas of planning, and strategies of how to kill the Jabberwocky whether with or without the Vorpal sword flooded his mind.

Mirana slept no better at her end of the suite as fear of what the Frabjous Day would bring engulfed her mind: what would become of her kingdom? what would become of her dear friends? what would become of her and Tarrant? would they still have the chance to be together forever?

As such questions continued to pour into her head, she began to find it harder and harder to breathe. "I can't sleep like this," she whispered to herself, hoping the words spoken aloud would block the internal thoughts. "I can't." She sat up and looked across the suite over at Tarrant who appeared to be sleeping. "I need you."

Desperate for peace, Mirana got up from her bed, walked across the length of her suite on the cold white marble, and took a seat on the chaise admiring the Hatter.

"What is it, darling queen?" he asked softly.

Mirana's watery eyes widened. "I thought you were asleep."

Tarrant grinned madly. "I could say the same about you."

Mirana found herself laughing.

"Come here, darling" Tarrant said as he opened his arms.

Mirana hesitated.

"It's all right. This is all so very difficult, but you need your rest, darling, so come here."

Mirana bit her lower lip for a moment before she gave in and climbed onto the chaise.

"There," Tarrant chuckled as the queen snuggled up against him, her head on his chest just under his chin. "Feel better?"

"Yes," she sighed happily. "Much more peaceful with you."

"Good, darling. Now sleep."

After a little while of looking at the stars through the windows and listening to Tarrant's heartbeat Mirana fell fast asleep. The Hatter, on the other hand, remained awake with constant thoughts, ideas of planning, and strategies of how to kill the Jabberwocky; surely it could be killed without the Vorpal.


	22. Chapter 22

**Love Checks Fear**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any dialogue, characters, settings, etc. from Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking Glass," nor from Disney's animated "Alice in Wonderland," nor Disney's most recent 2010 film of "Alice in Wonderland." Also, neither do I own any of Demetri Martin's jokes. What very little creativity that remains is – surprisingly – mine.

**Chapter 22**

As rays of the new sunrise began to glisten the white walls of the queen's suite, Tarrant realized that he hadn't slept a wink. He found himself absently playing with a ringlet of her majesty's white hair.

_White hair._

Tarrant began to remember back to days long, long ago when Iracebeth was still a mere princess at home in the castle with Mirana. At that time, Iracebeth's horrid red hair had begun to turn white as the magic of the White Kingdom assumed she would be the one to take the throne. Mirana, on the other hand, remained with black hair.

_Black hair. Like that of a raven._

Iracebeth, however, had greater ambitions than to simply take over the White Kingdom. She expected to be in full of power of all Underland. That was why she married that poor King of Hearts. The moment that contract was settled her hair returned to its blood-red hue. _And surely it was also at that time that her head began to grow._ As for Mirana, the White Kingdom's only heir to the throne, her hair began to change to a brilliant white.

Tarrant flipped the lock of hair about his hand. He had yet decided which color he preferred for her. He looked down at her head upon his chest. There lingered but a hint of what was, the roots of her hair held their dark color.

"Why is a raven like a writing desk?" he mumbled to himself. "Why is a raven…"

Stirring came from Mirana and she tilted her head far back so that she could properly look up at the mumbling man.

"Hmm?" she asked sleepily, blinking her brown eyes awake.

"Nothing," the Hatter replied. "Just saying, 'Good morning, darling raven.'"

"Oh," the queen said with a bright smile. "Good morning."

Tarrant couldn't help to chuckle at her and leaned forward to give a sweet kiss to her forehead.

"Wait!" she chided.

"What?"

Mirana suddenly shot up; eyes wide, mouth open, all sleep having swiftly vanished.

"What is it?" Tarrant worried as he struggled to sit up as well.

The queen began to tremble until the words managed to escape her lips in a faint whisper. "It's the Frabjous Day."

Tarrant sighed. "I know."

"Oh!" Mirana whined as she stood from the chaise lounge and hurried away to the other end of the suite. "I must change! Then we shall see if we can convince Alice one last time!"

Tarrant said nothing as he watched the White Queen disappear into her dressing chamber. _Why did the champion have to be Alice? Did the ancient scroll not believe him capable of slaying the Jabberwocky?_

"All set," Mirana announced as she stepped out in another white dress. "Let's find Alice."

The Hatter gave a mad grin as he made his way to the queen, grabbing his hat along the way. "Shall we?" he asked over-enthusiastically, holding out his arm.

Mirana fixed her eyes curiously at the green-eyed man, but took up his arm eagerly anyhow. "To Alice."

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Tarrant guided the queen downstairs and into the dining hall where nearly everyone that had escaped Iracebeth's wrath from the day before feasted at one end of the long white table. The couple gave warm greetings as they slowly passed by toward the opposite end, where her majesty's chair awaited. However, as they reached a little more than halfway along the table, they caught sight of Alice making lazy circles in her porridge with her spoon.

"Best to be eating, not playing, Alice," Mirana instructed sweetly as she glided by.

"Yes," the Hatter agreed. "And porridge is the breakfast of champions."

Alice gave a sour look in reply.

"I don't think there's any way to convince that girl," Mirana whispered to Tarrant as they took their seats at the head of the table. "She seems quite set in her decision."

Tarrant mirrored the queen's frown but for only a moment before turning to the side to call to Alice. "Alice, there's no need to sit by yourself. Come. Join us."

Alice looked up from her bowl at the Hatter. She appeared to be thinking and then, with great hesitation, gave the answer, "No, thank you," before dismissing herself from the table.

"Oh, no," Mirana whispered as Thackery threw a bowl of porridge in front of her, and then another in front of Tarrant.

"Oh, no," the March Hare mimicked unhappily. "It's good! And don't need salt!"

"She's not talking about you're cooking," Tarrant said, shooing the Hare away. He then turned back to the queen. "What is it, darling?"

"I really don't have a champion," she answered sadly. "And soon I won't have a kingdom."

"Don't give up yet, darling queen," Tarrant said firmly, then added with a wild smile – a mad idea now speedily churning within his head, "Eat your breakfast!"

"But-"

"No! First breakfast!"

The queen looked at the Hatter suspiciously. "But, Tarrant, I-"

"No!" he laughed holding up his spoon. "We need breakfast first!"

As Mirana took up her spoon, the Hatter madly began downing large spoonfuls of his own porridge until – only seconds later – his bowl was completely empty.

"Alright, my darling raven," Tarrant started as he stood from the table. "I have some things to set in order."

The queen looked up at him, totally confused. "What things?"

Tarrant bent over the table to whisper in her ear, "Getting you a champion! Assemble everyone you can to the courtyard within the hour!"

"What? Why?"

Tarrant straightened himself up and then announced to all within the dining hall, "The White Queen requests that you all gather at the front courtyard within the hour!"

Cheers came from all at the other end of the table but the nervous McTwisp. Cheering even came from the few ladies in waiting and guards posted at the doorway.

"I'll see you in a bit," Tarrant addressed the queen once more as he planted a gentle kiss to the back of her hand. He then quitted the room, leaving her to look after him without the slightest clue as to what he was up to.


End file.
